Another Me
by Resting-Madness
Summary: "Take care of your brother!" Those were the last words Kiba heard from his father. He's got them burned to memory, just as the day had burned him and his brother. He can do it, but he can't do it alone. Not when he needs someone too... But who?
1. I can make it work

Disclaimers: I don't own any character, creation of the universe, or make a profit from this free and fun work of fiction. I just do what I do with what's been put out there to work with.

Warnings: Sexual situations. Language.

Commentary: This short, possibly six chapters, story is dedicated to Bella13blue for asking if I could do more KibaxHige stories.

This is a relationship/friendship story, so the flow of time will be based around that, making it move quickly and that's why it'll be a short but hopefully meaty short story of Kiba and Hige through their relationships. And sometime next year I'll do another AU or maybe watch the show over and do a semi-au with future them based on the shows ending. I hope you all enjoy it, thanks for reading! I'm so mad at my brain for misspelling names and other stuff, but I'll be fixing Love Object and Italian Sushi from the copious mistakes, and what-not, if you've been getting alerts from that, that's all that is.

x x x

 _Beep._ He hates that sound. _Beep._ He's pretty sure whatever the reason for it is, he doesn't need it, when he's doing nothing but sitting in the hard mock-bed for days. Listening. Just listening to that annoying beep. _Beep._

Kiba Wolf, age 6, was going to have a nervous breakdown. Tilting his head back, he glared at the machine he's hooked up to by the finger and chest with a bunch of wires attached to sticky pads.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

Maybe he could ask the nurse to remove it all? Would she? Could she? He isn't sure of the duties of nurses, but he's pretty sure someone has to be aware of his situation well enough to know that he doesn't need to beep. Rolling over onto his left side where the I.V. isn't hooked into his arm, he tried getting some rest. Sleep'll drown it out until lunch.

Truthfully, sleep has become a hard task. Kiba'd rather be up and seeing his 4-year-old brother, Toboe than going to sleep and dreaming about the fire. His younger brother is far worse than he is in the situation, and he needs someone. Toboe needs the only family member he's got left. Kiba wanted their parents, to hold him, to tell him that everything will be ok. He's still so young. He needs them! But he knows that Toboe will want them and need them more. His azure eyes looked down at the starched white gauze around his forearm. Beneath that tight binding is an ointment-coated burn from his wrist to his elbow. Deep partial thickness. Second degree said the doctor who'd been cleaning it and caring for it for. The man told the young boy a bunch of things along the lines of skin grafting and procedures, but he could hardly listen.

Kiba kept screaming for his parents and for his brother's whereabouts because Toboe wasn't with him. He's sure that when he'd left the forest his brother was on his back, as he'd been the one to carry him to safety away from the burning home, and the- quickly following- blazing forest. He'd been delirious from smoke inhalation and exhaustion, in severe pain from his smoldered and badly blistered arm. But he _knows_ Toboe was there.

When he'd finally calmed down enough to listen- due to a shot to the arm- the nurse informed him that his little brother was getting treatment in the I.C.U, that Kiba could see him once he was stable. They didn't know that Kiba had heard them when they'd said, "The younger one may not even make it through the night".

Their neighbors, and friends to the family, the Lebowski's were the one's who'd brought them to the hospital on that terrible night. Their third day in the hospital was when Kiba was alert enough to understand the things being said to him. He was calm and able to listen and understand all the new changes that have been made, and all the things that are now going on.

He and his brother would now be living with the Lebowsky family. The Wolf's had no living relatives that could take them, and loving their mother like a sister, Cher would never allow the boys to be placed into adoption. Toboe's condition was bad. Because it had taken Kiba some time to get the burning piece of wood from his body, his burns were leaning on third degree. It was a miracle they've got him stable on isotonic crystalloid solution, that he'll need extensive graph work done, and constant treatment to keep infection away, hydration, and possibly a transfusion. But they were hopeful it would not get to that point. As for Kiba, he'd be scared but within 3-8 weeks his arm would be healed with maybe slight muscle spasm.

Cher informed Kiba that when he got home; Toboe wouldn't see a house for a long while, but for Kiba, he'd have to pack some things to bring over to their house. And that the Wolf home would eventually be put on the market. Those words stirred something in Kiba, and as Cher kissed his forehead before telling him to get some sleep, he stopped her from leaving his room.

"Miss Cher, don't!"

"I'm sorry. I'll stay in here with you."

"No. I meant, don't sell our house."

"But Kiba, if no one is living there then i-.."

Determination practically strangled him as he spoke his next words. "I wanna keep it! It's the only place Toboe and I have known, and I wanna keep it!" Sniffling, he started to cry. "Even if it takes me whole life, I'm going to stay living there with my brother."

Her blue eyes blinked as she took in this brave child before her. His words resonated through her until eventually, she found herself nodding. "Okay, Kiba. I won't sell your house." She didn't know how she'd pay the bills on two houses, but she'd find a way, for this poor boy and his dear brother.

2 weeks later.

Kiba lost his 'beep' and became the young boy with a 'squeak' and a low thrumb, as he was wheeled through the hospital to the I.C.U. room where his little brother remained getting treatments day in and day out. Toboe wasn't awake, not any of the times he'd visited. But he knew his little brother could tell that he was there.

"Sweetheart," his nurse, Elaine, said to him the fourth day he'd asked to visit. "How's about I get you an ice cream cone, and take you down to the children's playroom. You can play with some kids your age, make some friends that you can talk to."

"Why would I wanna do that?" Asked Kiba in reply. He doesn't want to be here making friends while his little brother is laid up in bed with tubes coming in and out of him. Doctor's talking about his condition like he could still go at any minute, and he's off playing karate fighters or some nonsense with the other kids. No way.

"I think it'll be good for you, so you don't have to see nothing but that room you're in... You can do something other than worry."

"Is that what you think I'm doing, ma'am? Worrying?" He looked over his shoulder to where the woman is standing behind him, pushing him towards his brother's room. "I'm talking to him. I'm telling him that he's going to be fine. Seeing that he's happy. I'm not worried about my brother."

"You're such a strong little boy." She ruffled his hair. "They say it takes a tragedy to really allow a person to show how brave they are, how strong. I think you're really one of those brave and strong people." Nurse Elaine smiled warmly. "I'm glad that you're not worried for your brother."

She walked from around the wheelchair to open the door for them into the I.C.U, from there she wheeled Kiba over to his brother's incubator, putting the break on the chair to keep him in place, not that she thought he'd go anywhere, Kiba is capable of moving, the chair is just protocol.

"I'll go and get you some books to read to Toboe, would you like that?"

"Sure, thank you." Replied Kiba. He's already leaning forward in the chair to look at his brother, who's asleep and breathing deeply with assistance. "Hey Toboe, I'm gonna read to you today, doesn't that sound good?"

Nurse Elaine looked over her shoulder, watching Kiba from the door with a sad expression. She'd meant what she'd said about strength and bravery. But she also knew the boy was going to have a rough life. He'd lost both parents, and his little brother is badly burned, he could actually die from it. But he's going to put on a brave face because he feels he has no other choice. And for that, she could only feel sad for him.

2 1/2 weeks later.

"He's awake Mr. Hubb! Hurry!"

Kiba beamed as the man wheeled him down the hall towards his brother's new room. He's left intensive care and has moved into the normal patients' wing with the others, getting to share a room with his brother. Kiba had been showering when he got the news from a nurse.

"I don't want Toboe to think he's alone when I'm here."

Laughing at the kid's understandable enthusiasm, Hubb pushed with a bit more speed; it's a hospital, after all, he can't exactly go all Speed Racer here.

"I promised him I'd read to him once he woke up."

Kiba was practically out of the chair and crossing the room when pushed across the threshold of his room, seeing his brother lying in bed with his eyes open was all the older boy could stand. Toboe looked confused and miserable, until spotting his brother then he perked up, but not by much.

"Don't speak," Kiba said taking his brother's singed hand.

It would heal away to non-existent, just like the ones on his hand when he'd been smacking at the flames. When he was trying so hard to put the fire out on that board that pinned his brother on the bed. The flames danced before Kiba's vision before they died away leaving him with his bandaged brother. He's wearing a gown, he looks unscathed. But Kiba knew what lied beneath that printed fabric gown. The same thing under his bandages, large blisters of yellow and white, wrinkled discoloration, and pain. So much pain. He has to wrap his arm, Toboe will be getting sponge baths... God, he can't imagine the list of instruction for upkeep treatment until the burn just becomes a deformity he can wash over.

 _'Why did you have to get it worse?'_ He wondered, trying to keep the tears at bay. _'It should have been me, we were both in that bed... So why? Why you?'_

A hard frown sagged the corners of his brother's mouth, tears welled in his eyes. "Kiba... What's the matter?" Toboe asked in his tiny voice. "Where's mommy and daddy?" He began to cry. "Where are they? Kiba?" He sobbed harder. "Where's mommy and daddy!?"

The younger Wolf was in full hysterics, sobbing violently, while his brother wept beside him. Tightening his grip on his hand.

Hubb and Cher stood beside them, watching. Just watching. They can't truly understand their pain. Being so young and losing their parents like that. It'll never be the same. Parents can have more children, not replacements for whom they've lost, just more. But children... The devastation was permanent. Foster parents, relatives... None of them can be mom and dad.

It went like that... off and on. Toboe would ask for- cry for- their parents... And Kiba would distract him by telling stories or reading them. Making jokes or just sitting with him, holding him until his sad shaking sobs ceased. And it took a while, it took a long while. But eventually, Toboe just stopped asking for them. Treatments were rough on him, and through it all there were the Lebowski's, and there was Kiba. There would always be Kiba. And for Toboe... That became enough.

December 15th, 2021.

It had been a long awaited day of arrival. The day Toboe no longer needed to be in the hospital. He could go home with his new family. It was actually an event for both Wolf brothers because Kiba wasn't about to leave his brother in the hospital alone, he remained in their room with him until the day of his brother's release.

"Are you boys excited to get out of the hospital? Sleep in a real bedroom, in a real bed." Cher spoke to them through the rearview mirror; Hubb's driving, and now and then he stole a glance at the Wolf brothers through the rearview as well.

He's always wanted a son. He loves his adopted daughter Cheza, don't get him wrong. But it's different with girls and boys. He felt a need to protect his daughter, to be her father. With sons... He'll have best friends amongst his children. He didn't mind giving up his office for the boys to share for a bedroom, they couldn't very well share with Cheza. Hubb and his daughter had fun shopping for bedding for the boys while Cher took the trips to and from the hospital on some days, on others, it was Hubb who went to visit them. Their guardian had some time wondering what the brothers would like to decorate their room with.

He's never fathered a six-year-old, because of Cheza, four he thought he could handle well enough. Cher seemed calm, like none of it was new of different, but she used to be an elementary teacher until they'd adopted Cheza as a baby and she was needed at home to raise her, so she's got experience with slightly older children.

"We're almost there," Though Hubb knew it was a useless comment, but he wanted to say something.

The air was very charged; Kiba seemed anxious at one point during the drive to the Lebowsky home. He knew a few houses down from their's was his own. Empty. Kiba took his mind from out of the window and instead focused on his little brother. Toboe is playing with Cheza, laughing and pretending he's stuffing food into a baby dolls mouth while she's making hungry gobbling sounds.

"Ahaha!" Toboe laughed when Cheza laughed.

Kiba smiled warmly at the scene. His brother and Cheza grew up together, from the crib to concrete. He'd always wanted a friend like that. But he'd always had his dad; Isao Wolf was Kiba's best friend. But now...

The car pulling to a crawl brought him out of his slump, and he watched the Lebowsky home, a place where he and his family enjoyed barbecues, birthdays, and sometimes babysitting, grow into view. It looked foreboding now. Like it wanted to eat him up and spit him out as someone else. Will he have to change his name? Will he be- could he live as Kiba Lebowski? The thought of it threw his mind into a panic.

"I can't go in there!" He declared loudly. "I can't go in!" His chest heaved up and down as he tried to catch his breath from an attack of panic that was numbing him.

"Kiba?" Cher climbed from the car, pulling the door open to hold onto the boy. "Kiba, it's ok!" She had to raise her voice over his volume, thinking he wouldn't have heard her otherwise.

Hubb was managing Toboe, who became worked up when his brother began to freak out. "Ssshh... Shhhh.. Ssshhhh. It's ok... Everything's ok."

"I want my mommy and daddy!" Toboe cried in Hubb's embrace.

He and his wife stole looks at each other from around the weeping children. This wasn't going to be as easy as they'd originally thought. The Wolf brothers were brought inside and put to bed, they'd cried themselves to sleep.

Hubb poured his wife a cup of coffee then fixed a mug for himself. He knew that once the brothers woke up they'd still be afraid, and weary of the changes.

"What're we gonna do?" Cher wondered out loud after a long chug of caffeine went down her throat. "We still have medical bills to tend to, we still have the funeral now that they're home." Setting the mug down, she leaned on the island counter with a purpose. The woman could switch from frantic to 'beast-mode' at the drop of a dime. "I need to go back to work teaching, and get a part-time on weekends to make up the cost."

"Cher?" He began to protest but ceased when his wife's hand came up to silence him.

"Hubb, it's fine." She gave him a stern look. "Cheza will be starting kindergarten this year, so she'll be at school until twelve; I'll ask Mrs. Duran to pick her up and sit with her until I get home. Weekends... That beauty salon, you know, the one for skin care just opened three weeks ago and they're still highering. I can apply there."

"I'm sure you don't have to go through all that, I can make up the cost with overtime."

"Hubb, don't be ridiculous." Patting the counter, she pushed away from it grabbing her mug. "This is happening. I'm going to make the calls, you cook tonight." She walked out of the kitchen speaking as she departed. "Those kids need a home cooked meal tonight."

"Of course, honey. I'm on it."

0 0 0

"Miss Cher, Mister Hubb?" Kiba stood in the doorway of the master bedroom. "Can I talk to you for a minute."

The pair moved their books aside to give their attention to the child. They thought he'd be in bed asleep by now after he and his brother cried through dinner, the couple are sure they'd be tuckered out again.

"Of course, come in."

Walking over to the bed, Kiba held his head up high before he lowered it with a quick bow. "I'm sorry my brother and me were a handful today." He straightened. "I should have set a better example, and shown better judgment. It won't happen again."

"Kiba... You lost your parents, and you almost lost your brother" Cher got up from the bed, placing her hand on the boy's shoulder giving it a light squeeze.

"No one is expecting you to be perfect. This is a hard situation for everyone." Hubb spoke in his wife's lack of words. "It's new for us to have you living here, and it's new to you to have to live here, as well. We're all in the midst of adjustments."

Looking into the boy's misty gaze, Cher asked. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

But now he felt like crying because the couple is being so understanding. He'd said he'd set a better example so that Toboe wouldn't feed off of him and be miserable too, but Kiba really wasn't sure he could pull it off. Not without fault.

Throwing his arms around the woman, he began to cry again. "How could it happen, Miss Cher? How could they just be gone? Don't they know we need them? Didn't they care at all?" He sobbed.

"Ohhh," she wasn't sure what else to say. She really had nothing. But she held him and rubbed his back. And after he'd cried it all out, Cher tucked him into bed.

The next day proved harder than yesterday because Cher took the boys over to their home so they could collect their clothes to put into their new bedroom. Cher is helping Toboe, since he's just a little guy and wouldn't be able to properly pack a suitcase; Kiba, however, was at a stand-still in his bedroom.

 _'The house is so quiet and cold...'_ Tears welled his azure eyes. _'Mom and dad'll never be here again. They'll never wake me up waving a plate of french toast under my nose. I'll never get to hear dad telling weird jokes to mom when he thinks I'm not listening. Mom won't 'bink' me on the nose whenever I space out... I'll never see them agai...'_

He let out a breath when a flash of Toboe laughing joyfully in the car with Cheza yesterday when they left the hospital, and he remembered what he'd said to Miss Cher yesterday. He'll be strong for his brother. He'll make things easy on the kindly couple, who's taking them into their home.

Sniffling, he wiped the back of his hand across his nose. "I remember what you said, dad. I'll take care of you Toboe. I'll get through school, and get a job... Then we can live our house like always. I'll grow up right, and take care of you properly." His little hand balled into a declarative fist.

Cher walked into Kiba's bedroom, taking a seat on the small bed covered with a web-slinging superhero. "It's hard, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." He looked at her trying to remove his frown, but it remained firmly intact. "But, I'll try my best, just like I promised."

"And Hubb and I will do our best." Rubbing his back, she said very assuredly. "We're going to rent your home out to a family in order to relieve the bills and keep the house in your name. But only if it's okay with you?"

Kiba had to think about that. People in their home, strangers living their lives different from the Wolf family's. Their home would be altered. Their stuff gone.

"We'll move all your things into storage, and keep what we can in the basement of our home." She could tell what inner turmoil he was having about renters. "We'll tell them that they're not allowed to change a thing about the place. No faucets, no removal or additions. The home is to be left as it is." Cocking her head to meet Kiba's gaze, she asked. "Does that sound good?"

"Do it," Kiba said with a nod.

Cher gave his shoulder a squeeze of 'thanks', then she got up from the bed. "The funeral is in three days."

Kiba nodded.

"I'll get you and your brother a suit."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

When she was halfway out the door, she paused.

"Miss Cher..." He looked over his shoulder at her. "When I'm old enough, I'll get a job... And I'm going to pay you back for everything you've done for me and Toboe."

Smiling, she knew she couldn't argue with the boy. "That sounds fine, Kiba. Thank you."

Nodding, he returned to packing his suitcase. His hand slipped by the blue ribbons he'd won for good grades some years back, and he reached for a hair brush to stick in the suitcase.

 _'At least that's one thing that won't change.'_ Regardless the death of their parents, the school would always be school. Or so he'd thought, he never knew another change would walk into his life.

x x x

Commentary: Don't worry. That's the end of jumping around like that, first chapters are always scene set-up. And since this is fresh work instead of my putting fics from another site on here, I'm not sure when I'll update but it won't be too long away.


	2. Allowence

Today Kiba chose to live with one word in mind. _Allowance_. He knows that in three days the funeral is going on, and as he laid his head down on the pillow last night he realized that he was crying as he lay there in a pool of wetness that didn't come from his sleeping mouth. Once his mom and dad are in the ground that'll be it. He'll really never see them again. He can't even see them now! But he knows that they're in the hospital, the very one he and Toboe were in not that long ago. Only they aren't hanging out in the coollers and waiting for a second chance. They weren't given the chance. But he and Toboe were. And so when an hours sleep managed itself for him, he chose to live today in allowance. And if it worked out, he'd do it again tomorrow, and the next day and the next day.

Kiba slipped out of bed to run himself a bath. His mother usually ran him a bath but he's gonna have to learn the fine art of temperature some time, if he's gonna take over as Toboe's caregiver. He looked at the hot and cold noticing quickly that it was one knob to use both. Turning the handle of the knob so it's facing the red line, he shoved his hand under and waited for the water to heat up.

"Ow." He jerked his hand free and gave it a shake.

It stung more than he'd thought it would, and looking at the coloring from his scroched hands he could only imagine what it would have felt like if it were his arm he'd stuck under the hot stream.

 _'Makes sense since the fat was burned away there.'_

Turning the knob a bit more towards the blue, he stuck his hand cautiously under the stream, smiling when nothing happened. Shaking the water from his hand; he stripped from his clothes then reached beyond the shower curtain and turned on the shower-head. Why not? Adults take showers. It's quicker after all.

Kiba stepped carefully into the shower, holding on to the little bar just above the soap dish to keep his balance. Proud of himself so far, he then retrieved the wash rag from over the side of the tub where he left it and his towel behind the curtain then he began to wash. Kiba allowed himself to relax and just wash. Not to look at his burns, not to think about them and what they represented. Loss.

Once the shower was over, Kiba grabbed something to wear from his suitcase and once clothed, he allowed himself to treat the borrowed bedroom as though it were his bedroom by packing the drawers and closet space with his and Toboe's clothing. And once he's back from school, he'll allow himself to put away their books and toys.

Winter break truly begins in a week; and during it he'll allow himself to play outside in the snow with his brother and Cheza. He'll allow himself to help Mr. and Mrs. Lebowski with anything they need.

Slipping his arm through the strap of his packed backpack, he then marched downstairs to the kitchen for a quick breakfast of Fruit Loops and a peanut butter pop-tart. He figured he'd need the sugar-high today. If Kiba's going to get better and become stronger he can't slack off. He can't get a job if he's not educated, and he can't get an education if he stops going to school. Just as he has to keep his strength up by eating, though he isn't hungry. In this day of allowance he even allowed himself to laugh at the cartoon he'd left on the television, that he can see through the opening in the kitchen. As he looked around the kitchen he began to wonder where was everyone else? The funeral wasn't until 3 days from now, so why is the house a ghost town?

 _'Maybe I should wake them?'_ Thought Kiba as he left his empty cereal bowl at the table, it's a bowl he'd brought from home when they were removing their lives from their house to bring over to miss Cher's, it's a white bowl with a wolf on it that came in a set of four. They're his and Toboe's favorite. Walking over to the cabinet he tilts his head back and stares at the height. Not too bad. Opening the cabinet he spots the instant coffee on the second shelf, out of reach. With a smirk he qouted the commercial in his head. _'The best part of waking up is coffee in a cup. Cher and Hubb drink tons of this stuff.'_

Back over at the table, Kiba pushes his chair over to the counter climbing onto the seat. Reading the coffee's instructions he figured it looked simple enough and set to work with fixing a pot for the couple. As the brown crystals percolate, he smiles at his progress in becoming older and more mature. He might even have a cup himself.

Biting off a hunk of his pop-tart, he savoured the peanut buttery taste as he waited. _'Maybe I should make them breakfast too?'_ He knew school days were always good because his mom made him and Toboe breakfast. They ate cereal on weekends. Which, when you're denied the amount of sugary treats that you know your friends are eating, it becomes a special treat when you get to have cereal. Recalling what he'd eaten for breakfast, Kiba thought to himself. _'Guess cereal isn't a treat here.'_ It was something to get used to, not hard, but still a change.

"Kiba?"

The young boy jumped out of his skin. He was so lost in thought that he hadn't heard Hubb coming. Spinning around to face the man, he looked like he'd knocked over a prized lamp. "I... I was getting ready for school."

"School?" Hubb said as though he'd never once heard the word. "Kiba, you don't have to go to school today, or even tomorrow. Not until you're ready." He tousled the boy's hair as he passed by him to the coffeemaker. He could have sworn Cher was still in bed. _'Maybe she started a pot then went back to bed.'_ He explained to himself.

"But, I made coffee and... I could get you a pop-tart heated in the toaster." Kiba followed the man around the kitchen as he fixed himself a cup of coffee, and the Wolf child stopped at the pantry to retrieve both boxes of the toaster treat.

With two creams and a pinch of sugar, Hubb brought the mug up to his lips and took a drink, nearly choking on the swig. "Oh, that is..." But he stopped when seeing the look on the child's face, his big blue eyes seeking approval from his soon-to-be adopting parents. "Mmm. Kiba, how much powder did you use?"

"I filled up the holder; it took a minute to find where the crystals go in... Sorry for the spill."

Hubb raised the lid and saw that Kiba had put the coffee into the area where the water goes and where the coffee actually needed to go, there was no filter. "It's fine. I um... Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here today?"

"I have to go to school. I can't miss any more days." He touched his bandaged arm. "I'm already behind because of the..." Meeting Hubb's eyes he pleaded. "I have to do this... Please?"

With a small smile, he nods. "Yeah, I'll go up and get dressed."

Smiling in return, he can feel his spirits lifted. He thought, because he's a child, he'd be made to stay. But Hubb agreed to take him; and after removing a blueberry pop-tart from the box he hurried upstairs to change. Curious, Kiba walked over to the man's mug and took a gulp. The gulp promptly found its way into the sink. He was never gonna touch that stuff again. Bleh!

To Cher's disparaging words Kiba went to school. It was going to be weird being back when he's missed the beginning of a new year being in the hospital. New teachers, a new class, some new students. This was going to be awful. _'And what if they saw the news? I didn't think this through! They'll know it was me and my family, they'll ask a bunch of horrible questions. Throw me pity parties... What am I gonna do?'_

Seeing how hard the male's chest rose and fell, Hubb inquired. "I can always turn around?"

That seemed to stop the panic growing in the young boy's chest. "I... No, I'll go. I was just a little nervous."

"It's understandable. But, two weeks and we get Christmas, that should be..." The car door popped closed. "Fun..." Calling out the window, he says. "Have a good day, Kiba! And call the house if you need anything, Cher will be there!"

Kiba waved to the man then darted into the building.

0 0 0

Kiba was right in thinking he'd be gawked at by his fellow classmates, mostly just by the kids he knew from last year. Each of their gazes, different in color and size, all had the same wonder in them. "What happened?" or "How did it happen?" However it was going to be worded, he could tell they wanted details. But as luck would have it, he wasn't the only new thing rolling into class today. And the random burst of sunshine stole all the dark cloud's attention away.

"Class, this is our a new student. He'll be starting here from today." Says the teacher with her manicured hands on the new boy's shoulders. "I want you to be nice and welcome him in," to the child held by the shoulders at her side, she says. "I'll let you introduce yourself from there, then you can have a seat in one of the empty desks."

The child smiled a picket-fence toothed grin at the spastic woman then turned to the class and raised his hand as if to give the idea of a wave. "Hola," that was not what the class had expected to hear. "Mi nombre es Hige Luna. Estoy mixta, Mexicano y Japonés, por parte de mi mamá." Hige grinned when the class busted out laughing. Rubbing a finger under his nose, he then skimmed his gaze over the empty desks, and seeing a free seat behind the only kid who's not laughing or talking excitedly to someone, he chose to sit there.

Kiba was wondering what was so funny, because he didn't understand a word the kid had said. It would seem he'd missed more than some three and a half months of math, grammar, and reading. Like the impromptu lessons in a foreign language. He leaned his weight forward when the new kid breezed past his desk, hunching over as if to hide himself from the boy or the class, or maybe even the whole day.

Behind him he doesn't see the new kid scribbling furiously on a piece of notepad paper, and once he was finished the folded sheet came into contact with Kiba's bowed back. The Wolf boy thought he'd imagined it, but the touch came again only this time to the bare back of his neck.

Making sure the teacher is occupied with starting the lesson by writing on the board, Kiba turned around ready to say something to ward the unwanted attention away, when he noticed the note in Hige's hand. Brows furrowed in wonder of what on earth the kid thought he was doing handing him notes, when he doesn't even speak the language, Kiba was more than surprised to see the language was in his native tongue Japanese. And it reads:

 _Hey kid,_

 _I was just messing around up there. My names Hige, I'm mixed. My Asian side is from my mother, so my last name is Moon. It'd be cool if we could be friends. Just give a nod if we can sit together at lunch._

 _Hige._

Kiba blinked at the note then gave a blank nod. He didn't care who sat by him at lunch, just as long as he ate it without fail. Sometimes guys like to eat off each other, or talk so long they can't really get anything down. That's never been an issue for him, but he's seen things. Kiba gave an 'oof' when Hige clapped a hand to his shoulder as a 'good' gesture and thanks to his agreeing to sit with him.

A little embarrassed that the new guy thinks that _he's_ new too, Kiba put full attention on the teacher and the lesson plan. If he didn't, he was sure he'd have a knot in his stomach over the events of lunch coming. The Wolf boy kind of wanted to keep things low key on the first day, and this kid hardly seemed like the library visiting bookworm type.

x x x

Kiba saved Hige a seat while the male lined up for lunch, and once his food was down on the tray he skimmed the cafeteria for Kiba who waved his hand to catch his attention. Hige smiled when seeing him and hurried over to the table taking a seat. He said 'hi' to a kid beside him, then turned his attention to Kiba.

"Can you only write in Japanese, or do you speak it too?" Asked Kiba once Hige was settled and opening his carton of chocolate milk.

"Oh, _that_? Naah, I speak it, read it, write it." responded Hige after taking a deep swig of his milk. "I just like to see what type of people I'm dealing with whenever I play the foreigner card. Sometimes kids can be real jerks and other times they try hard to be your friend any way." He reached across the table taking a few crackers from Kiba's lunch; he doesn't close the sandwich bag they're in, instead the side of his hand smashed the opening down. "Wheat crackers? Your parents "health nuts" or something?"

"Or something." Replied Kiba lowering the turkey and swiss sandwich from his lips.

"Mm," Hige intoned thoughtfully. "They're still good. I like the ones from that elf myself." Hige looked across the table, a smile spread across his face when Kiba looked back. "Y'know, I never caught your name."

"It's Kiba Wolf." Replied the Wolf male. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah." Eating from his scoop of mashed potatoes with gravy and cubes of ham, he snickered. "This is going well, huh?"

Kiba set down his drink pouch and shrugged.

Hige snickered around a spoonful of olive colored peas. "That's ok, I know guys who zone-out at school but are completely different people once they're at home. Is that you?"

Eating his sandwich, Kiba shrugged.

Three kids came over to their table chattering happily with Hige, who spoke to them as though he'd known them forever and was only sitting at the table with Kiba to throw the poor new kid a bone. Kiba was then touched on the shoulder when the cheerful foursome were ready to part ways; and all the kids wanted to wish Kiba well for his loss. The Wolf teen slid them a glance before nodding, then he went back to his lunch ready to full-on-ignore the question that was going to come out of Hige's mouth.

"Hey, Kiba," he began, but what followed wasn't a question of wonder that the two girls and boy would put there, instead he asked. "Can I have some more of those health crackers? It doesn't taste so great when you eat it, but after it's fantastic."

Curious if this were a joke or not, Kiba offered Hige the sandwich bag filled with crackers.

"Thanks." He ate two then said happily. "My mom never makes me lunch, she doesn't have time."

"What about your dad?" Kiba asked, although he wondered who'd just spoken because he was trying to stay out of it. But it would seem his subconscious remembered that he was living the day in allowance, which made him curious enough to interact and have Kiba look at the kid in front of him.

"My parents are divorced." Hige shrugged a hand. "We've all got something, right?" With a smile he said. "Maybe someday you'll tell me yours." Reaching across the table, his balls his hand into a fist. "Deal?"

Looking at the pact being offered to him to spill his guts, Kiba couldn't believe that he raised his hand and gave Hige the promise. "Deal."

"Cool. Now leave that fist there, because I wanna come over and play at your house some time, or you can come over and play at mine. I've ditched the toys thing, but I've got video games and can be pretty imaginative." He wriggled his fist up and down asking that Kiba agree to a play date as well.

And leaning his fist forward he says. "Okay."

"Heh, here I thought I wouldn't any friends today." Finished with his lunch, he downed the last of his milk and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "You're pretty cool, Kiba Wolf. I'll bet we could learn a lot from each other." Getting up from the bench he grabs his tray to put in the return slot.

Kiba watched his new friend walk away and wondered if he were ready for such a strong friend. During lesson change to math he'd asked after his friend Drew Akiyama and was saddened to hear that he'd moved away over the summer that he and Toboe were in the hospital. Drew was nothing like Hige. He was quiet and thoughtful- a reader. He liked Kiba to do all the leading. But with Hige, it seemed he'd be the one doing the following. Something about that was attractive to Kiba. Maybe they could be friends.

x x x

"How was school, Kiba?" Hubb asked once the boy climbed into the car.

"It was good." And he meant that. Since lunch, he couldn't remove the small smile from his face. "I met a new boy named Hige. He's mixed, and a little strange, but pretty cool." After a thought he admitted. "He ate most of my lunch."

Hubb laughed then replied. "That's wonderful!" The man could have kissed the random child, glad that someone put a smile on the miserable boy's face.

Kiba was glad to hear Hubb approved his friendship. So he kept going with telling him about his day. Kiba spoke of Hige when he walked through the door of the Lebowski home. When Cher inquired about his day, the first thing he mentioned was meeting Hige. Not the assignments and homework, or the pet hamster. Just Hige. He told his little brother; who watched him with saucer-eyes and interest. He liked anyone his brother liked, so he couldn't wait to meet this Hige himself.

"Come on, Toboe, let's brush our teeth." Kiba managed some new conversation now that he's all talked out of his new friend. It would only be worse tomorrow.

But as Cher brushed her hair before climbing into bed with her husband, she couldn't help but smile wide enough for her husband to see her in the vanity mirror's reflection. "I don't know where this kid came from, but I'm glad he did. Kiba needs a break from this week, what with the funeral the day after tomorrow."

"You think this boy he talked about can distract him that much?" Hubb has his doubts.

If his parents had died when he was young, he wasn't sure he'd be out of bed for at least a year. It was great that Kiba had a good day, but there was no way he was over the loss whim-bam-boom. Even when his parents approached old age and had passed away, Hubb was a mess for a month. He still cringes whenever he smells certain scents or eats certain foods. It's hard. You have to go through life and realize that certain people are no longer there.

There was no way Hige cured Kiba. They'll have to be strong on Thursday, and even stronger on Friday once the reality of it all sets in further that, this isn't a temporary thing for them.

"I'll skip work tomorrow and Friday, Toboe's going to need consoling. He's not at an age where he can quickly cope."

"I think he's the one who'll bounce back faster. He cares, but he's four... He can recover. Kiba on the other hand..." Setting the brush down on the vanity top, Cher crossed the room and climbed into the bed. Leaning over she kissed Hubb on the nose then snuggled in under the blanket. "I've only got time off to attend the funeral, so that works out for you to stay." Though she'd rather be the one to stay. But she'd only just recently applied for the job and began her part-time work.

"How was Toboe today?" Asked Hubb snuggled in beside his wife.

"He and Cheza sat at a table in back of the cafe and colored, and talked about four year old things. How cute is it that Toboe wants to live beside Kermit and Miss Piggy."

Laughing, Hubb asked. "And Cheza?"

"She wants the Smurf village beside her house and us on the other side."

"Aaaww, ver cute. I'll remember that, and hold her to it when I'm balding and frail."

Chuckling, Cher commented. "Me too." Closing her eyes, she sighs in contentment of sleep gripping her right away.

"Night, honey." He kissed her forehead then waited for sleep himself.

The next day.

Kiba was up-and-at-em the next morning eating waffles fresh from the waffle-maker, by Cher who'd gotten up in the morning to fix it for him, along with a glass of orange juice. Toboe had rolled out of bed as well and is eating a plate of waffles, cut into sticks so he doesn't have to cut them himself.

"Can I go to school with Kiba?"

Cher smiled at the boy, petting him on top of his dark cherry head. "I'm afraid you're too young for the first grade, Toboe."

"But I got to work with you," momentarily distracted by the appearance of his friend and Hubb, he greets them before speaking to Cher again. "Is school really hard?"

"Not at all, and when you go to kindergarten next year I'm sure you'll be the smartest boy in class."

"I hope so, then I can go to school with Kiba."

Cher only blinked at the four year old's reasoning; she didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise about how school systems work. Although, he could be a genius and skip a couple grades. Anything was possible.

"Kiba, do you think Hige can come over and play? I wanna meet him." He stuffed a waffle stick in his mouth, biting off a good portion before setting the fork down to reach for his milk.

"I don't think so..." If Hige came over he would know the Lebowski's aren't their parents. And he's not ready for his fresh new friend to look at him as all the other students are. "Maybe you can come with me to his house." Looking at Cher the older Wolf child asked. "Miss Cher, if Hige invites me over, can I go?"

"Of course you can, as long as his mother or father drives you over."

"But, if I'm with you... How can I go?" Toboe wondered.

"The days are only half," replied the woman. "But maybe Hige's mother can get you on our way out."

"I'll ask." He felt his happiness on a rise once again as his plate was emptied. Setting his dishes into the sink, he then turned on the water and washed them up. "Where do I put these?" He asked while holding the wet items in his hands, side-stepping the dripping water that's aiming for the floor.

"The dishwasher." Replied the woman standing.

With the door slightly ajar, Kiba toed it open then set his dishes inside. Hubb finished his coffee at the sink, and rinsed the cup once it was empty; he turned the glass Kiba put inside so that's its now bottom up and won't hold water during the wash, and he slid the plate aligned rather than diagonal with the tongs sticking up.

"I'll see you later." He said to his wife, and child, and Toboe.

She waved then looked at the two still eating. "Who's ready for another fun day at the coffee house?" She asked with enthusiasm.

"Yay!" Both kids cheered.

0 0 0

Kiba looked around the classroom and took a seat where there was an empty desk beside it. He hoped that Hige got in before some other kid did to take the seat beside him. He was so excited to see the happy new kid, he didn't even have to remind himself to just allow events and happiness that came up. He just knew it would be there. That everything would be fine.

"I'm sorry, Kiba." Whispered a boy behind him, after tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Thank you." He muttered in response; while wishing with all his might that the boy would shut up about it, but he went on.

"When's the funeral? My mom wants to send flowers."

"I um.. It's tomorrow." He quickly whispered over his shoulder.

Across the room Hige just walked in, and his rust-colored gaze was skimming the taken seats for him. At least, Kiba hoped so. Locking eyes with his new friend, he hid his glee when Hige waved before parting through students and other empty chairs to take the one beside him.

"Where should we send them?" Pestered the child.

Though he had good intentions, Kiba had had about enough of it and wanted nothing more than to scream at him that he doesn't want or need something as useless as a 'well-wish'. But he kept it in, and instead said he'd give him the Lebowski's address later. Hige watched the exchange with little interest. He's never met any of these kids, and has only been here for two days, counting the one that's just started, so whatever they've all got going isn't any of his concern. But he isn't so blind that he can't figure it out that it has something to do with Kiba.

Class went as per usual with little conversation and lots of writing; but Kiba noticed the stares, felt them on his back. He ignored them, and was able to because of Hige sneaking notes over to his desk. He passed the whole notebook so that it looked as if he were just sharing notes with Kiba in order to understand the lesson. It was simple either way. Addition with points. Hige's no fan of math, but he's no stranger to a good grade.

The two wrote back and fourth about their plans for later on that day. Kiba asked Hige if he could come over, and if he could bring his little brother when he does. Hige didn't mind, though he did ask just how 'little' this little brother was.

When lunch rolled around, Hige went to work sorting through the male's offerings. He muttered to himself whenever there was a good find amongst Kiba's food.

"Okay. Now what do you want from my lunch?" Asked Hige.

"Couldn't we just eat our own food?" He eyed the left alone bag of carrots, and a half of Hige's sandwich which consists of salami and cheddar cheese on white bread.

He kind of really wanted what miss Cher had packed for him: a sandwich of cinnamon raisin bread loaded with sliced baked apples sprinkled with cinnamon over a cream cheese spread, and a bag of carrot sticks, with a juice pouch, and some Planters peanuts. A feast really.

"Come oooon, Kib'," groaned Hige. "I specifically brought my lunch so we could do trades- my mom made a whole big stink about how she had to make it the night before.. It wouldn't work out so good giving you a spoonful of soup and half a cheese sandwich from the cafeteria menu."

The logic behind that was so simple and so stupid Kiba had to laugh. "Okay, whatever you say." He ate the offer of sandwich from Hige's lunch.

"I can't swap tomorrow, it's pizza- you know how it is?"

"I've never had the pizza at school."

"Never?" Hige ate Kiba's half of sandwich.

He found the taste too weird, at first, but like the wheat crackers he really began to like it. It was creamy and sweet, the bread gave it a little extra kick. If Hige had to explain it to someone he was sure he couldn't, the explained to would just have to have a bite.

"Hey, Kiba..." Hige set down the gummy worms from his lunch to look his friend in the eye.

He's never been one for serious conversation, but he thought that with all the whispering going on that Kiba needed it. He hoped his father's words worked for whatever Kiba was going through with his parents. He knew the signs of trouble-at-home, having had them himself before his parents split from each other.

"I'm not sure what's going on with you, but whatever it is... You can call me and talk about it- or just call me and say nothing, and I'll do all the talking. Ha," his smile beamed at Kiba's searching eyes. "I'm never at a loss for words." And with that he slid his phone number over to the other boy.

Blinking, Kiba's dumb-founded expression softened as he took the paper. And with a small smile he said. "Thank you."

x x x

Commentary: I broke this chapter up so that it'll save the funeral for next time. I wanna get the wording just right, but my brain's too distracted right now to do it. So until next time, enjoy the rest of the week. Thanks for reading! You keep Wolf's Rain alive haha.


	3. The Birth of Another Me

"He's gone!" Cher burst through the bedroom door of the master suite.

She'd gotten up his morning to make a nice big breakfast for the boys, something that would bring them comfort on a day like today. But when she walked past their bedroom, she noticed that one bed wasn't occupied. Now that wasn't so unusual, Kiba could be anywhere in the house, he' not confined to the bedroom. But when checking the bathroom, there were no signs that Kiba had even been in there. He wasn't in the kitchen like the morning before. He wasn't even in Cheza's bedroom- he could have been. But as Cher hurried around the house in search of the boy, she found that he was nowhere!

Roused but mentally still in dreamland, Hubb asked. "Hmm? Who's gone?" He scratched his fingers through his bed-head.

"Kiba! Kiba's gone!" She snatched up her robe and slipped her feet into her purple house slippers. "Come on, we have to find him."

"What!" Hubb came alert at that, mimicking his wife's actions of getting into his robe and slippers. "Did you check everywhere?" he was in the hall following after her. "Where would he go?" Hubb's blue gaze glanced into the open doors along the way down the hall. He honestly thought he'd find Kiba standing in one of them, a look of wonder on his face as to why everyone was so worked up.

"Toboe," Cher shook the child's shoulder, "Toboe do you...?"

Hubb was checking the locks on the doors when he heard his wife calling out that Toboe was gone too! Nothing but a pile of pillows and books occupied his bed, is what he was told when entering the bedroom.

"I checked the doors, the front entrance was unlocked," he explained to his wife, "maybe they went outside?"

"Why would they be outside at seven in the morning?" Barked his wife. " _Think_ before you speak, you're not helping the situation."

Hubb couldn't help but exasperatedly roll his eyes with a shrug. It was a statement, not a solution to their problem. If no one took the boys by force it would only stand to reason that they left on purpose. But where would they go? That's it!

"Cher, I know where they are..." Hubb took his wife's hand.

"How do you know?" She was about ready to call the police to track them down, when Hubb said that to her.

"Today is the funeral... The boys must be feeling terrible..." Hubb explained. "I'm almost positive they went home."

And Cher wilted into her husbands arms. Of course that's where the boys had gone. Why wouldn't they? "Hubb, I am so sorry for yelling at you... I over reacted." She wiped tears from her eyes, "Those boys are my best friend's children, I feel responsible for them in every sense of the word. Mikado would never forgive me if anything happened to them."

"I know, I feel the same way," he rubbed his wife's back to comfort her.

"I'd better go get them," Cher removed herself from the embrace. "Can you start breakfast for me?"

"Sure."

"Thank you."

Cher left their home for the Wolf's house, hoping against bad luck that the kids were actually there and her husband was right; she has her cell phone stuffed in the pocket of her robe just incase the boys aren't safe and sound in their house. She could call the police and Hubb afterwards.

It was a good sign that the door was unlocked when she tried the knob. If the boys weren't inside, it at least showed that they had been. Ascending the stairs, she paused outside of the master suite when hearing voices on the other side of the door.

"Why do we have to bury mommy and daddy?" Toboe asked in a sob, "what if they wake up? How would they get out?"

Kiba sniffled back his tears and running nose, shaking his head. "They're not sleeping, Toboe..."

"But maybe they're just in a coma," suggested the younger Wolf child. "There was a guy at the hospital, I overheard the doctors saying that he woke up from it."

That only made Kiba cry harder. It was such a nice idea to entertain. That his parents have been in a coma all this time, and the doctors just didn't know. What if they buried them and then their parents just woke up? Nobody would know... They would die down there for real. All alone. And nobody would know.

Kiba squeezed his little brother tightly in his arms. "No, Toboe... We have to accept what happened... Mom and dad are dead, and they're never coming back."

"Stop saying that!" spat the high young voice; he began to wriggle around in his brother's embrace to free himself of the liar and the evil lie spoken, but Kiba held onto him to well. He couldn't let go of the only anchor left in his life.

Their sorrows silenced verbally, but their tears picked up where their words left off. Cher held her actions to go in the room and take them into her arms to calm their misery. The Wolf children need this moment. They need to get it out of their system or they would be a mess during the funeral. They'd continue to miss their parents in this state. It wouldn't be good for them to always be that miserable. Once they come to their own understandings about death, then they'll start the process of healing.

"It isn't fair, Kiba! Why did it have to be them?" Toboe was shouting, angry at the situation and angry at his parents. "Why did they have to die?"

Toboe wasn't even sure how it had happened. He just woke up in the hospital to a life that has changed all around him! Doctors told him how to treat his burns if he felt any further pain once going home. Burns! How on earth had he gotten burned? It was such a whirlwind, it was insane! He just wanted to go home and hug his parents, who would take charge of the bad situation and make it stop. But none of that happened. There was no longer a home that was his, it was the Lebowsky's. There were no secure arms of his parents holding him... That strength was the Lebowsky's. And where he loved them, it wasn't the same. So... inside... It was just suffering upon suffering. And it was made worse when he was told that his parents were dead. How could he escape it all? He couldn't. All Toboe could do was hug his brother and cry.

"I'm sorry, Toboe..." Kiba whispered into his brothers burnt colored hair.

And he was sorry. It was his fault. If he hadn't lit that fire... If he hadn't fallen back asleep- left it unattended... None of this would have ever happened. He burned his brother. He killed his parents. Kiba knew he should be punished for it, and he told himself that the pain he's been in in these past months isn't even close to paying back what he owes. But what was there for him to do? He couldn't take his life, it would only hurt the situation more. He'd leave Toboe behind. _Completely alone_. His brother didn't deserve that, he'd done nothing. Toboe was a victim of Kiba's negligence.

"I want them back..." Toboe wept. "I want them back..." He sobbed over and over into his brother's shoulder.

"I can't..." Kiba's words hurt him the moment his ears heard them. That started his own floodgate, and he sobbed just as hard as his brother.

That was Cher's cue, and she opened the bedroom door; she could barely see them in the dark bedroom, and the light from the hall was anything but bright and sunny. The sky was dusty in color with thick gray clouds. Rain clouds. But the room was bright enough. _Only_ just enough.

"Boys?" she made it seem as though she'd only arrived and located them. Cher didn't want to intrude on their private moment, or at least, she didn't want them to know she had done so. "So this is where you've been hiding..."

Walking over to the bed, she wrapped her arms around the huddled children. Neither child moved from their desperate embrace of each other. It wasn't a surprise really. Cher had no expectations from them today; if Kiba and Toboe wanted comfort from her family they would seek it out. Right now they only need each other, to them they're all they have from life before.

"Hubb's making breaking... You kids should come eat," she was sure not to use anything that would trigger pain for either child, such as calling their house the Wolf children's home. It may be temporary in Kiba's mind, but Cher couldn't tell him that his plans for moving back into their home just weren't going to come true. Not all at once. Not until he was much older. "It's a big day, and you need your energy to face it."

"But why do we have to bury them?" Toboe sobbed, "If they're not treated like they're gone then... then maybe they won't be gone."

Cher took a breath in then out. "Toboe... nothing new is ever easy... This won't be easy, but you can overcome it." She kissed the child's head. "You're a strong boy, both of you are strong... Show this- show _them_ just how tough you are."

"I don't want to! I just want my mommy and daddy!" Toboe shouted, muffled by his brother's enclosure around him.

"...You may not think so today, but the day will come... And when it does, you'll see that you can still remember your parents, that you still love your parents... Even when they're gone... Even if you don't remember them, that love won't have gone anywhere." She kissed both boys on the head and hugged them all the more tightly.

 _'How can you know? How can anyone know?'_ Wondered Kiba, who felt that their familiar scents were already leaving the room in place of nothingness.

0 0 0

Hige lingered around the entrance of the school until the bell rang. Then he lingered around at the classroom entrance until, once again, the bell rang. It didn't stop Hige from looking wistfully at the closed door once class had started, in hopes that Kiba would walk through the door late. Everyone has a late day once in a while.

But when that late morning stretched to a late afternoon, Hige's mood wilted knowing that Kiba wasn't going to come to school today. It was weird though, because there were a few other students absent too. And the kids in class were very muted and subdued today. It was like their world's had gone as gray as the clouds drifting in the sky.

 _'Maybe they all got sick? Or are at some party that no one knows about!'_ he straightened up in his desk wondering if something like that were true? _'Naah. That's completely stupid. But I'd sure like to know where they are.'_ Bored posture resting forward, fist to his cheek, he looked over at Aaden and asked in a whisper. "Hey, do you know what's going on with everyone today?"

Aaden looked confused, then took a moment to look around the classroom when Hige's dough eyes glanced about. He seemed shocked that he hadn't noticed their classmates have dwindled, then he nodded. "Oh, today is the funeral."

" _Funeral_? What funeral?" he straightened up at full attention. Was this something the strange new school was in to, going to open funerals?

"I keep forgetting you're new here," Aaden commented, "the Wolf's funeral. Kiba lost his parents in an accident. I'm not sure what happened, but, I know he's living with a family friend now."

 _'Wow... No wonder... That poor guy...'_ Sitting back, completely consumed by that information, Hige could only shake his head in disbelief.

"The other kids must have gone because they knew them," Aaden continued speaking, only now to deaf ears. "The Wolf family could be pretty cool."

 _'Gee, and I didn't even know so I could say I was sorry.'_ Hige's red gaze dropped to his lap. _'He must think I'm the worst friend in the world... I should call him... I wonder if there's time between class and lunch to do it?'_

Hige frowned realizing that he doesn't even know where the funeral is being held, or what the number is. He doesn't even know Kiba's number! What was he gonna do? Hige sank to his desk top, his chin rested on the cold wooden slab. Today sucked.

0 0 0

Kiba straightened his tie. He didn't care that it wasn't even crooked, he just needed something straightened out. Something that made sense, even if it was as mundane as a straight tie. He frowned at his reflection as he took it in. He looked like a different person with his hair brushed that way, all slicked back and out from around his face.

 _'I wish I was somebody else, then this could be happening to them instead of me.'_ Kiba knew it was a cruel thing to think, but grief knows no logic nor kindness. _'Maybe Toboe was right, maybe if there's no funeral we'll wake up and find out it was all a dream... Maybe, if they really are gone, if we don't go... our parents will stick around and not be dead...'_

"Kiba? Kiba come on," Cher walked in front of the bedroom entry way, "it's time to go, everyone's waiting in the car..."

"...Do we have to go?" the young boy's voice was heavy with tears.

"I'm afraid so... The funeral will go on with or without us, the funeral director would handle it. Don't miss this chance to say goodbye..." Walking into the bedroom she wrapped her arms around the child from behind, hugging him. "I'm sorry this is happening.. But it'll get easier, even if it doesn't get better. I promise."

Kiba nodded and turned around to face the woman, to hug her tightly. "I... I believe you."

He didn't want to lie to Cher, but he didn't want the woman who chose to take the two boys in to feel a failure because they're inconsolable. He didn't think he could survive without Toboe, and the chances of the two of them being adopted into the same family were very slim. Kiba knows very little about the adoption process, but from what he's seen on television, he knew it wasn't anything the young wanted to mess with.

"Let's go." Cher left one arm around Kiba's tiny shoulders, steering him, because he needed to be led, to the door and out of the house.

Kiba went with her, not a tear in his eyes, not a word or utter from his lips. He had to be strong for Toboe...

The room was decorated beautifully. He's never seen so many flowers in his life; his mother would be gushing if she could see this. But Kiba hated the greeting line. He hated the well-wishers mourning his parents like they knew them from a distant relative. Toboe remained latched onto Cher's side, weeping. He shook no hands, and took no well-wish. Chances are he wasn't even slightly of present today. And Kiba preferred it that way. He would rather his brother remember nothing but exhaustion from crying. Toboe wouldn't hold up watching their parents get put in the ground.

"I'm sorry, Kiba," a girl from his class wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly. "Your mom was always so nice to me."

Kiba swallowed back his words, his cruel but insincere words, and just allowed the hug. It wasn't Caitlin's fault. This wasn't any of their faults. He just wished it was, to keep his own blame away. And once everyone who meant to be there arrived, the mourners moved into the main room and the funeral began.

The caskets were closed. Of course. Enlarged photos of Isao and Mikado were placed in the center of the room between their resting beds. Kiba hated the sight. His parents were inseparable, they should have been put together. But he said nothing. He watched the many faces approaching the front of the room, listened to the kind words, or funny stories that their friends had to tell. Kiba thought about his own funny stories that he would have to tell.

How their mother liked to tease them into hygiene by making up this silly story or that. They already knew about Santa and his intentions around Christmas, but they didn't know unwashed kids could get jipped on Easter or Halloween as well. Not until now. At 6 years old Kiba knew better, but he still liked to take an extra good bath around Easter just for his mother's sake.

Their father always did funny voices when calling them on the phone. He liked to pretend he was a Bubble Guppy or Spongebob, their heros. Kiba hoped their father knew that _he_ was their hero.

"Kiba, would you like to say something?" Cher brought him from his thoughts to ask.

"Huh?" he needed a moment to process those words, before giving a wobbling nod.

Walking up to the front of the room, just a bundle of nerves with watchful eyes on his every step. He felt sick, and worried that he'd say something stupid and embarrass them. Standing before them, he looked over all the caring, grieving faces, and just blinked. Looking over his shoulder he stared through tears at his parents smiling faces in the photos.

"I don't... know what to say that... I haven't known them for very long..." He whispered. He steadied his trembling voice then tried again, but his words failed him and instead he shouted. "I don't want them to go!"

He ran out of the room, past the reaching arms, and comforting words. He ran and ran until he hit a wall at the end of the hall, then he swerved around a corner and hurried down another hall then out a pair of double doors. He didn't have anyone to turn to there. Out in the naked world, in a strange area to their neighborhood. Out here he didn't have anyone who would lie to him that he'd be fine. All he had was an emotionless tree that he wrapped his arms around before sinking to the ground.

The gray sky had been like Kiba's nerves. They started out light and airy, then deep and rich with rain, until finally the fracture was made and the rain spilled out. He could hear the crowd moving from the home. The death march. They were taking his parents outside to be put into the ground.

He couldn't let them do that! Getting up, he hurried across the field towards them. In his head, Kiba saw himself bursting through them; the caskets would fall to the ground popping open, and his parents would gasp for breath. They'd be different, but they'd be alive... Just like Toboe and himself.

"Stop it!" Kiba called over the noisy rain. "Don't do it!" he yelped when someone wrapped their arms around him.

"Kiba, calm down, please." Hubb whispered into his ear. "You have to calm down."

"I want them back!" he reached and struggled within his guardian's grasp, but their was no breaking free.

"I'm sorry, but you have to say good bye."

"I don't!"

"You do! Kiba, please listen to me," Hubb took a blow to the crotch, releasing the boy as pain shook through him. "Kiba, please come back!"

Hubb was calling to the wind because Kiba had cleared the distance between himself and the grave-diggers. The boy sprinted across the cemetery towards his parents. Kiba was halfway there to do anything he could, but he staggered and fell to the grass. A fit of coughs broke from his mouth; he was left to lay there staring longingly at the activity going on.

 _'It's not real... They won't just come back to life because I pretend it isn't real.'_ Kiba looked at his worn down, sleeping little brother resting in Cher's arms. It was then that a thought occurred to him. _'They're gone. Burned away because of me. They're dead.'_ He curled in on himself, and when he sat up he then stood. _'I can't just quit, Toboe needs me. Toboe_ needsme _...'_

Kiba wasn't sure where he was going, but he had to get there. Out of the rain and storm to a safe haven. Somewhere safe. The young boy burst through the doors of the funeral home; a mess of water and mud left anywhere he travelled. He didn't see Hubb in the distance, so he knew the man must have joined the others. Kiba would apologize for what he did later, but right now he just needed somewhere safe.

He found himself in a room with chairs and tables. A sitting room. Over by a flower print sofa he saw a telephone. Lifting the phone from the receiver, he removed a slip of paper from his pocket then dialed the numbers written down.

 _'Please pick up, please pick up.'_ But then Kiba realized something... Hige wouldn't pick up. He couldn't. School is still in session, and Hige is undoubtedly there and in class, oblivious to anything and everything going on today. _'Nooo,'_ his mind croaked and he shrank in on himself and the arm of the chair... But the line went through.

"Hige," Kiba whispered as if needing his friend was a secret.

"Kiba!" Hige shouted in contrast to the whisper. "I wanted to call you, what's happening?"

"Make it stop," Kiba mumbled into the phone, "make it all go away."

"...Oh..." It was the only thing he could think to say. He's never dealt with death before, not with anyone he's known closely. But he's dealt with divorce. And he knows that the last thing anyone wanted when they're grieving is to have to talk about it at any length.

"I don't know what else to do..." Kiba sobbed into the puffy arm of the chair.

He recalled his mother's arms around him, hugging him close and telling him he was a somebody. Words like that mean a lot to a child, and she always knew when to apply them. Kiba remembered his father taking him out for camping trips that Toboe was too young to go along. He loved their manly talks about _Hot Wheels_ and junk food they'd like to eat forever. Who would do things like that with him now.

Kiba's face scrunched and his gentle sob turned into a downpour. It's over! It's all over. Their home will be lived in by some other family. Their lives, their memories will imprint there. He wouldn't be allowed in, he would no longer be able to hide in his parents bedroom when he just wanted to be with them. Whoever moved in there wouldn't understand. Kiba knew they wouldn't respect Cher's request that the family not touch their parent's bedroom.

 _'All their things will be moved into storage too... Their scents will be gone. Their memories...'_

Hige listened quietly from his end. He wished he was there, he wished he could hold Kiba in his arms to let him get it all out. Poor Kiba was going to be altered by this, just as he was altered by his parents splitting up.

"Have I ever told you about the time I went fishing and caught a koi for my backyard?"

Sniffing, Kiba calmed his sob enough to ask, "What?"

"My pet koi fish," Hige repeated. "I was out at the lake behind my old house in Burnswood, and I was fishing for minows. I saw this orange and white flash going by every now and then and wondered what it was, next thing I know I've got this big fish hanging on my line."

Kiba's brows scrunched wondering what exactly the story was supposed to mean? Why would Hige tell him something so frivalous?

"I pulled that old fish from the water and ran it home. We didn't have a koi pond, so I dug a hole in the garden and dumped lake water into it."

"So?" he wiped his tears. Turning in the chair, his muddy feet came down from the cushion to dangle above the floor; his butt planted itself onto the semi-dry earth he'd tracked in.

"Ssssoooo, it turns out the koi wasn't a real fish... it was some kid's toy."

Kiba blinked at those words, then a smile tugged the corner of his mouth. "Yeah right, how did you not notice?" He could see Hige shrugging comically as an explanation.

"It was on a battery, it had gone from the kid's side of the lake to mine and one of the holes where the screws goes got caught on my hook. It was flailing so much I thought it was alive."

Kiba snickered. "What happened? Did the kid want his toy back?"

"I'll say he did! That kid must have rode past my house every day leering at my bedroom window wanting his toy back."

"Why didn't he just take it from the front yard?"

"He didn't know I thought it was real, and figured I had it up in my bedroom playing with it in the bath- dumb kid." Hige laughed.

Kiba smiled and chuckled too.

Hige told him all sorts of funny little stories, some made up- Kiba could tell- and some the goofy Moon kid probably embelished. By the time he hung up the phone he couldn't believe that he was feeling better. Kiba found a bathroom and washed his face from his tears. He had found his laughter... And he knew that if he could still laugh, maybe things really wouldn't turn out so bad.

"There you are," Hubb said when spotting Kiba coming up the hall. "Everything is done now. We'll be heading back to the house."

Wrapping his arms around Hubb's waist, Kiba then released him and backed up, bowing. "I'm sorry I kicked you, Mr. Hubb."

"Just Hubb is fine," his guardian waved his hand at the comment, "I know it wasn't your fault. I mean, it was, but it wasn't intentional."

"Yeah."

An awkward silence fell between them, then Hubb knelt down placing a hand on Kiba's shoulders. "Kiba... You know how when you start to grow up, you find yourself saying- or wanting to say- to your parents that you can do it by yourself?"

Kiba thought about that, remembering all the times those very words came out of his mouth, and he nodded.

"Think of this as one of those times. It's not a trial-run to see if you can, it's a chance to show you can. And while you're doing it, you can bet your parents are watching on and cheering for you."

Kiba nodded. And surprised himself by smiling, sincerely, at Hubb. His new protector. A guardian for him and his brother if things get tripped up while he's trying to find his way. And Cher, the other half of the whole new picture. Even if he made mistakes. Even if sometimes he needed somebody... He wouldn't be ashamed to ask for what's gladly there. It was time to do it. He _will_ do it.

...

Commentary: It's too late for saying Christmas, but I've always preferred Happy any Holiday you celebrate! Even if it stank, you can always dust it off and do it again.

Thank you cromimipl!


	4. You Make Me Want to be a Man

Hige and Kiba are dashing up the street, sticks in hand, and motorcycle sounds projecting from their mouths, amplified by the clacking of wood on wood to sound like a real two-wheel vehicle. 9-years-old and they already own their own motorcycles, life is good. Good for the trailing 6-year-old too, as he's in possession of the same stick and motoring sounds a few paces behind his brother and friend.

"Ugh!" Hige groaned. Flopping himself down on the front lawn of the first house he came across with an open gate, he let out an exhausted sigh. "Kiba, this sucks!" This was declared to the sky while the words were aimed at his best friend. "When are you gonna ask Mrs. Cher or her husband for a bike so we can ride everywhere already?"

Walking over to the bedraggled Moon child, Kiba crossed his arms looking down at him with a smug expression. "Don't tell me you're tired? We've only been running for a half hour, Hige."

"Yeah, Hige.." Chimed Toboe, mimicking his brother's stance of a crossed arms and smug look. "Don't tell me you're tired?"

"Aaaw shut up," he retorted to Kiba then to Toboe he informed. "And you zip it too, runt. Because you don't even know how to ride a bike, so that counts you out when Kiba and I get one." Taking the front of his shirt into pinching fingertips he began to fan himself by fluffing his shirt inward and out. "Aren't you guys hot, you're wearing more clothes than me?"

It's early summer but hot as metal in a steel-mill. Freeze City completely missed out on the refreshing remnants of Spring winds blowing around until the middle of the hot season. Hige's dressed in a tank top and long shorts while his friends are in t-shirts with a long-sleeved shirt underneath that. At least, they have shorts on. It's been this way every Summer and early fall since he's known the pair. He figured they were insecure about their bodies, but arms? It seemed unlikely. So he just presumed they felt temperatures differently than himself.

"We're wearing white," replied Kiba, taking a seat beside the laid-out Hige. "And quit picking on Toboe, he can follow us if he wants to."

"Yeah." Sitting beside his brother, he grabbed a handful of grass and tossed it into the air as though it were confetti, doing it again until he lost interest. _'Hige's right, though, it_ is _hot out.'_ He looked at the sky as if he could plead with the sun to make it dial-it-back a little bit for him and his brother's sake.

"I'm sorry. I like you, Toboe." Commented the Moon child closing his eyes. _'Still, it'd be nice to have some time alone with Kiba.'_ He thought to himself. Sighing in exasperation as somehow closing his eyes made the sunbeams feel that much more pronounced, he opened them then turned and looked at the Wolf brothers. "If you guys don't have money, I'll treat. But I want some ice cream." Sitting up he then pulled himself up from the grass and started for the exit of the front yard, with his friends in tow.

Freeze City is known for its attractions, unlike Burnswood you could find amusement around every corner and eateries that are well known to celebrities. Everyone comes to Freeze for vacation when they live in another district. It's relaxing, scenic, and a metropolis of sights and sounds for the whole family.

The three boys walk downtown with their sweat soaked heads hung low. Hige was glad he had a generous allowance because this kind of heat needed a refresher and a spare. Ridgeway Creamery was up the street just another building, but he couldn't get his heavy legs to run the remainder of the way. Kiba and Toboe had, though, and the Wolf brothers bolted past him bringing a cooling breeze against his back.

"Aaaa, hey you guys, run past me again!" he called out to them with a dry voice. "I neeed you!"

All he received was laughter before they disappeared inside the ice cream shop.

 _'They could have at least carried me along, I'm paying, after all.'_ Wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, he finally reached his destination. Pulling open the door, he was met with a wonderful wind tunnel of AC that gave his wet body a shiver as he walked farther inside.

"Hige, can I get a scoop of blueberry custard?" Toboe asked with big pleading eyes. "And a scoop of blackberry too?"

"Euw, sure." He pulled out his wallet. "Kiba, did you pick?"

Kiba was still looking at the menu board. "Ummm, what are you getting?"

"Chocolate dipped sundae cone and a Freeze-Freeze," Hige said it to Kiba but he was talking to the teenage employee behind the counter.

"Can I have a waffle bowl with brownie ice cream, please?"

"Sure." Replied the older girl; it was kind of nice to see manners in youth culture. Her little brother was sure lacking in it.

"You guys get something else," Hige mentioned. "I'm not giving out bites of mine when yours runs out."

Toboe gaped. "Wow. I wish I had your parents."

The employee overheard this and asked the two what else they'd like. Kiba got a Freeze-Freeze as well and for Toboe an ice cream sandwich. The kids left the store licking and slurping their frozen treats while walking with a more rejuvenated pace to the park.

"Look at this," Kiba pointed to a poster on a billboard. "Some fashion show is going on in the park next week."

"So? What, you wanna go see it or something?" Hige spared the ad a glance then returned his attention to eating.

"No. Just making conversation." Kiba bit into the waffle bowl, crunching the crisp treat to mush before licking the ice cream; he would have used the spoon but he didn't want to eat the bowl alone, and if he used the plastic scooper his ice cream would have gone so much faster than his brother's or Hige's.

"Fashion's dumb," Toboe mentioned to no one in particular. "All the girls at school are always wearing weird stuff, giraffe-print skirts and striped tops. I don't get it."

Hige pretended his finger was a gun and he shot himself in the forehead; Kiba snickered and shook his head. Toboe does tend to say random things at times. He was pretty sure he wasn't like that at six. But Kiba loves Toboe. He loves that his brother wants his attention, he loves that Toboe watches him with admiring and recording-eyes that wanna be like him. Most 9-year-olds would be done with children in an age they've already been, but not Kiba.

Hige and Toboe are laughing at something and bustling up the street playing by shoving each other.

Kiba's eye caught sight of a sign taped to the window of a pet shop. _'Help Wanted.'_

His pace stopped cold and he just blinked as visions ran through his head about working in the pet store. He'd save the money in the bank and after a while, it would grow from the interest. Kiba asked about it at school when the class was let out for recess, he and the math teacher, Mr. Logue, talked about it. The man asked him what a kid like him was so interested in such things for, and he said he was just curious. But his curiosity was actually life planning. Kiba will buy their home from the family that's currently occupying it. He will repay the Lebowski's for everything they've done for him and his brother. And he will take care of his brother through sickness and in health. They'll want for nothing if they can live without extravagance.

Kiba walked into the store with high hopes. He had no time for doubt, no room for it. Doubt and hesitation were kid's stuff. His large blue eyes looked around the room for someone in charge. He sees dogs, cats, birds, fish, ferrets, reptiles, even little teacup piglets! But no people.

"Excuse me?" Nothing like a voice to get attention, when a person isn't seen. "Is anybody here?"

"In the back!" Called a young man's voice from somewhere beyond a stack of glass tanks containing rainbows of fish.

Kiba craned his neck and stood on tip-toes in an attempt to see the worker, but upon having no luck he settled for walking to the back of the room to find him. "Hello?" He called again.

"I'm up here," said the employee; he's reaching for something on an upper shelf, "getting some bird feed. How can I help you?"

"I saw a sign in the window, and I wanted to ask what positions you have open?" Kiba watched the man descend from the ladder with a bag of feed under his arm.

The employee, who's name tag reads Franklin, looked Kiba over then looked over the boy's head out into the store where he expected to see an older sibling playing with the pets or perhaps even a parent weighing options while trying to pick up a job, but he saw no one just this boy. Frank's brows furrowed with confusion.

"Where are your pare-.."

Kiba cut into his words by explaining his reason for being there. " _I_ want the job... I'm the one who's looking." He straightened his back and lifted his head to show his resolve. To show his maturity.

Blinking with disbelief, the man scratched his curly dirty blond hair. "I'm not sure I'd be allowed to do that, how old are you?" It didn't matter how old the kid was, he wasn't and couldn't give him a job. It was against the law. He wasn't gonna get fired by his boss for hiring some kid who wanted to buy candy.

"I'm nine-years-old, sir." Kiba then spoke his stats as though he'd been asked. "I'm strong for my size, first in my class for studies, especially math, and a top student for citizenship, sir."

"You're _nine_?" Frank believed it even less when saying it out loud. "Jesus, kid, you really think you can work here? You're just a kid."

"A kid who'd be doing the same thing for a pet at home, at least here, I can get paid for it." He winced at his own stupid bluntness but hoped the man would forgive his eagerness.

The kid had a point, thinks the employee. But a 'point' isn't logical to the workforce. Overworked minors in other countries are the reason child labor laws were made.

"Please... I won't give you any trouble and I won't be in the way." He placed his small hands in prayer, having to readjust the gesture because he'd forgotten he was holding his half-eaten ice cream. "You don't even have to pay me much."

"Sorry, kid, but I really can't do it. It wouldn't be right or _legal._ You go on home and do house work for quarters like squirts your age are supposed to. See me in about seven years when you've got your part-time workers papers." Hoisting the feed up onto his shoulder he brushed past the kid. "I've gotta get back to work."

 _'Part-time workers papers?'_ Kiba's shoulders sagged.

He didn't even know about such a thing. He felt even worse when the employee's words played back about him working for quarters around the neighborhood until he turned 16. Doesn't he realize what a long time that is in life? In seven years the family in his home will have moved on and someone else, people who wouldn't respect a grieving child's wishes, would move in and wreck the place. He couldn't allow that, he needed work now!

"What if..." Kiba wet his lips, he hadn't meant for his voice to come out so meekly and he tried again when he regained his resolve. Walking into the store where the man was pouring food into the bird's feeder, he began again. "What if I offer to work here for free for one whole month... And all you'd have to pay me is a recommendation for my next boss to see that I've got what it takes."

Frank paused and shook his head. "You're out of your mind. No one is going to hire you in a real workplace without paperwork, and- pay close attention to this part- aaaaage."

"So what if I'm nine? So what if I'm not as strong as a man; I can sweep up; or walk the dogs or something minimal- you can't agree with doing everything here by yourself. I'll clean up after them!"

Kiba knew adults hated that sort of thing, it's why Mrs. Cher won't let them have a puppy. She told them puppies turn into dogs, and dog poop differs drastically from puppy poop. She wouldn't have the mess. On top of that, there would be no one home with it most of the day and she couldn't trust an animal alone in the house for that long.

The employee was becoming fed up with being bugged about this, so he tried a different approach. Embarrassment. Kids hate being embarrassed as far as he knows. Hopefully, this kid will be the same. "Let me ask you something... Why are you so pressed to get a job? You're a kid, you should be scaring girls, playing with bugs, or riding your bike over a cliff... Why do you wanna waste your time working?"

Kiba's eyes sharpened to such a degree the employee had to lean back to make sure the boy wasn't actually a man in disguise. Where was that fire coming from?

"I lost my parents, all I have is my little brother and the place where we used to live. I want to move back in and take care of my remaining family... But I can't do that with nothing. So, please... I need a job." He ruined his grandstanding by tearing up.

It wasn't his fault. Frank's words caught up to him like the first time. Getting a job was a huge step. It went beyond good grades to get out of school, it went beyond an allowance for taking out the trash or cleaning the room or bathroom, or minding Toboe and Cheza. It was working in the adult world. And knowing he'll have to be counted as an adult when he shouldn't gives him a momentary fright.

Frank's green eyes softened and he knelt down, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder he spoke calmly to him. "I understand what you're saying, but the law is the law. I'd gladly give you the job, but my boss would fire you and me too if he caught you here."

"You could tell him I'm your cousin, that I'm just hanging around while you watch me... And when he's gone I could get back to work."

A long sigh came from the man's nostrils. He needed a smoke. This was not a day he had ever imagined, it wasn't the kind of day he figured anyone would imagine. What could he do when the kid won't take no for an answer?

"Tell you what," he straightened then walked behind the fish tanks. When he returned he hands a bag to Kiba. "If you can bring this fish back to me alive after two months, I'll give you a job here on the down low. But you can't tell anyone."

Kiba beamed at the man and accepted the fish as though it was the Queen. He walked out of the pet store in a daze. All he had to do was keep a fish alive and he could have a paying job at the store.

Kiba caught up with Hige and Toboe. He thought they'd be at the park where they were heading to, but the pair had doubled back to find out what happened to him. Judging by the mostly eaten ice cream sandwich in his brother's hand they hadn't noticed his absence for some time.

"We have to go home for a sec'," he said when Hige and his brother were a step or two away from him.

"Wow," Hige poked the plastic bag with a little blue fish inside, "you took some detour."

"Where'd you get the fish, Kiba?" Toboe leaned in toward the bag for a better look; Sucking in his cheeks he made fish-lips at the aquatic creature.

"Well, I didn't fish it out of a pond behind the house." He smiled at Hige who got the reference. "I went to a pet shot; there was a sign in the window and I wanted a job."

Stunned by this, Hige shook his head. "Are you crazy what would you want a job for? Doesn't school take up enough of your time?" As if the magnitude just hit him he added. "And who's gonna hire you? You're a kid!"

"I'm not a kid, Hige. And I _need_ a job." He handed the bag to his brother who was obsessively making a kissy face at the fish.

"Why?"

"Because..." He let it end there.

Hige could only blink with a shaking of his head. "I'll never understand you."

"I'm not that hard to figure out," he fell into step with his best friend who turned left so they could go to the Lebowski's home.

Hige begged to differ on that comment, but he couldn't help smiling at Kiba. His friend is so mysterious. Kiba's social, funny, smart and kind. But he's a tight-lipped little somebody when it comes to certain aspects of his life, such as why he won't show his arms? Why in the world won't he talk about his parents? And a new chip in the pile, as to why he wants a job?

5 days later.

Kiba sighed heavily as he watched Flynn Fisher going around and around in the clockwise swirl of the toilet water in the bowl. Kiba had been doing so well with taking care of the uninteresting little fish. So what could have happened?

He'd come home from playing with his friends and find the unplanned pet swimming laps in its bowl like it was going out for the Olympics. It was actually pretty entertaining to watch when one would just need a distraction from boredom before bed. Flynn would hide inside the small plastic castle or gasp for breath at the top of the bowl thinking food would come to him if he did so... Kiba never overfed or underfed the little guy, and Toboe was given strict orders not to touch.

Kiba knows his brother and anything he says to the younger boy is law. Toboe wouldn't have touched Flynn, which is why Kiba didn't bother with questioning him to otherwise. Cheza never sets foot in their bedroom unless invited, and his guardians are rarely at home because of work.

 _'How does a fish die in five days?'_ Kiba said a little prayer while washing his hands. _'The bowl was clean and the water was clean...'_ Shaking his hands from the dripping water he then brushed his hands down his jeans to dry them.

He'd only been out playing for an hour. What could have happened in that hour that made the fish turn belly up? Kiba had already weighed the idea of replacing the fish, but honestly, he liked to be a man of his word. If he became dishonest with the fish what would stop that train from taking him further down that slippery slope? He'd become a low-life or a slacker. He'd never say a thing that would be seen as credible by anyone once they knew of his deceit with something as simple as a fish.

Kiba walked back into his bedroom to grab the glass bowl. He wasn't sure what he'd do with it, he can't put food into it because even if it's clean he'll feel the residue of fish pollution permeating inside. Turning on the sink water he set the bowl down beneath the stream, then went for the Scrubbing Bubbles under the lower cabinet and then set to work with cleaning out the bowl.

17 minutes later the bowl was cleaned enough to have a second coating of the clear exterior; and Kiba retired to his bedroom to read a book which he distracted himself from by thinking about what he could do to get another job? Where could he go? Who would hire a boy? Even Hige thought he was crazy to think he would get one. Was it really so hard?

Marking his place in the book with his finger, he rested his chin on the cover of the closed work of fiction. _'I could mow lawns, all those guys out there never seem so into it... And they seem annoyed because of the heat. Maybe they'd pay me if I offered to do it.'_ He doesn't know how much you're allowed to charge for cutting someone's lawn. He'd ask Hubb about it later. He'd understand that it's a man thing, Mrs. Cher would only dissuade him and treat him like a kid. How was anyone supposed to grow up in this world when treated like a kid?

Placing a bookmark into the book in place of his finger, Kiba then got off the bed and grabbed a notepad and pencil writing the words 'Able' and 'Not Able' on the overhead bar then a long vertical line between the two words. Tapping the eraser to his pursed lips Kiba brainstormed what jobs to go out for.

Toboe, armed with a toy car in his hand and self-provided engine sounds, zoomed through his brother's bedroom to drive the car along the walls. He then made 'bang! bang!' sounds as if the car was in the middle of a high-speed chase. Seeing that his brother is so concentrated on something, he took it upon himself to inquire about it since Kiba wasn't offering the information. He couldn't be doing school work because it's Sunday, and there's no school on Sunday, and his brother always did his homework on the day it's assigned- then there's the well-known fact that it's Summer break.

"Rrrrrooooommmmm..." The car is driven up the back of Kiba's leg, butt, and back until Toboe is standing beside his brother to look over his shoulder at the paper. "What're you doing?"

"I'm thinking about jobs I can do," turning over onto his back he looked at his brother and smiles. "You wanna play?"

"Hmm? No. I was just curious what you were doing..." It was true. And if Kiba is busy Toboe totally respects that. "Do you think I can get a job too?"

"Naah, I mean, not a job like me... But you might be able to." Sitting up, he scoots aside so Toboe can sit down beside him.

"What do you wanna buy?" Asked the younger boy. "You can just get it for your birthday."

"I don't wanna buy anything, I just..." He couldn't tell Toboe his reasons, so he decided to lie. A small lie wouldn't hurt their bond. "I just want some money, is that so wrong?"

"I know what I'd get if I had money," Toboe beamed, and not giving Kiba a chance to guess he fired it off like a confetti canon. "I'd get candy and a toy boat."

"A toy boat?"

"It's Summer time, the Lebowski's are taking us to the beach next weekend. I wanted something to play with in the water." Taking a breath he sighed as if waiting for the chastise for wanting something ridiculous instead of something practical.

Kiba smiled and nodded. "Good idea, I should have thought of that."

"You can borrow mine." He popped him playfully on the shoulder.

Kiba laughed. "Thank you, you're the best little brother ever." Hugging him, Kiba placed his chin on top of Toboe's head frowning because his brother couldn't see it. _'A toy boat... It's fine, Toboe, you just stay a sweet kid.'_ Moving from the hug he faked a punch to his brother's nose then picked up his pad and pencil.

"What happened to Flynn?" Toboe noticed the fish bowl that's been filled with action figures and other tiny toys instead of the colorful little fish and his home.

"Oh, Flynn died."

Toboe's face scrunched up and he burst into tears; Kiba could only blink at that. He couldn't understand why Toboe was crying, Flynn had lived with them for only five days what was the big deal? His brother drew in a very snotty breath through his nose and latched onto his brother as if he could take it back or hide him from the ugly knowledge he was just given.

The curiosity of the situation got to him so he had to ask. "Toboe, why are you so upset?"

"Because Flynn died!" That made him cry harder. How does Kiba not know that? Why would he even ask? Flynn may not have been with them long, but he was theirs and he loved him. ...And now he's gone. He'll never come back. "I want him back, Kiba! I want him back!" Sliding from the bed he ran over to the bowl and pushed it from the dresser spilling a few toys to the floor. He'd go tell Cheza, at least, she cares about things.

Kiba watched his brother's tearful departure baffled. Getting off the bed he gathered the toys then stuffed them back into the bowl, he picked up the former glass home then set it back down on the dresser. He'd remove it tomorrow or later once the coast was clear of his little brother.

In another part of the world Florence, Italy at a concert hall in the center of town; a teenaged boy lingered around a dressing room where his guardian sat before a large mirror getting her make-up done.

"I can't believe how lame you are, kid," Faye Valentine stopped speaking in order to get her lipstick applied, but once her mouth shined a ruby red she continued. "Darcia sings such trendy trash, he's got no soul."

Tsume tisked around a cigarette dangling between his lips. "Right, Faye, nothing beats a good downer-song at a party." His words were spoken with a haze of smoke coming from his mouth from the drag taken from the cigarette. "I'm still struggling to get 'Shiki no Uta' out of my head."

Sticking her tongue out at his reflection in the mirror, she closed her eyes while her eye shadow was applied. "And anyway, Darcia sings teeny-bopper music," she smiled. "Are you a teeny-bopper, Tsume?" The singer laughed when hearing a growl from her model friend. "If you're gonna sing his praises you'd better make it quick, music like his dies out the minute his fan base hits age twenty, my music lasts for decades with any age range."

"Hn." Tsume crossed his arms bitterly staring at his leather boots. "As if his music has anything to do with it." Though he would admit to liking some of the man's ballads.

Done with her make-up she got up from the chair and crossed the room to sit on the couch and put on her jewelry. "I forgot you think Darcia's cuuuute," Faye made kissy-face at her friend before laughing when a pillow came flying her way. "Watch the hair kid, this took an hour."

"And I don't think he's 'cute', _puppies_ are cute. Darcia Rosalini is _fuckable_."

"Ha. Don't let him hear you saying that," her hand patted then rest on his shoulder. "He'll think you're a stalker or worse a sycophant."

Tsume didn't appreciate the thought, and Faye was wrong. Darcia will appreciate him just as much as the rest of the world does. And going being backstage while Faye sings a duet with the soloist will gain him access to a private meeting.

And it happened just as Tsume had hoped. One of Darcia's handlers approached him during the show and whispered that Darcia wanted to see him in his dressing room later on; the model walked to the dressing room as if he had not a care in the world when or if he went to the summons. He had no idea the singer was already waiting for him inside when he finally arrived at the dressing room; knocking on the door he expected a manager or assistant to invite him inside, he hadn't expected the silky voice on the other side of the door that beckoned him in.

The young model closed the door after himself. He kept his eyes on the carpeted floor, at first, but then slowly raised them to see the singer was seated comfortably on a velvet couch at the end of the well-sized room.

The interior was a little feminine with a clutter of different shades of purple decorating everything. A large vanity mirror was against the wall a distance from the couch Darcia sat on, and a fluffy carpet covering the floor. To say the singer liked purple would be an understatement because even the wallpaper was a shade of mauve.

"So, you like the place?" Darcia asked, keeping a predators eye on the young man in front of him.

Tsume shrugged, trying now to put on his usual cool. He couldn't let this man see him sweat just because he's hot for him. "It's alright if you're into this sort of color. I'm more of a black or brown myself."

The singer scoffed. "I wouldn't have guessed." He said sarcastically, addressing Tsume's clothing. "I just saw your eyes looking anywhere but at me, I assumed you were fascinated by something in particular."

Tsume resisted the urge to scoff at that. Darcia had seen the teen in nothing but black or brown since he had first noticed the young man coming to his concerts. Actually, his performances weren't the only times he'd seen this lovely foreigner. He wasn't blind. Tsume was becoming big, and he had seen him on the runway many times. The singer fell head over heels for the boy's body, and he wanted it.

Tsume remained by the door as if waiting for permission to come farther inside when really he was playing it cool and trying not to seem over-eager.

A smile curled Darcia's lips as he thought he knew what was going on in Tsume's head. "I don't bite boy," space on the couch was patted for him, "come and sit with me."

Tsume walked over to the couch as the man had instructed taking a seat right beside him to show no fear.

Darcia smiled at this, he liked the fire in the young model's eyes. It was a major turn on. "So, what's your name?" As if he didn't know.

"Tsume Keina."

His smile became that of a villain's, all venom and ice. "Well Tsume, what would you like me to do?"

"Pardon?"

"You want me to sign something?" His slender hand spread out as though blindly pointing at something Tsume may have brought in with him. "Give you a t-shirt with my face on it? What are you here for?"

This time, Tsume does scoff. The model sported no one's face upon his person but himself- if he were that shallow. "I'll tell you what you could do..." He snipped, unable to control his sarcasm until he felt the singer's tongue slide around the rim and inside of his ear. He golden eyes closed at the rush of his heartbeat and the warmth gathering in his sensitive lower area.

"Guess that answers that question," Darcia muttered looking down into the teen's lap. He was showing right against his pants, and the singer couldn't have been happier to see it. "Maybe, you'd like for me to show you that this mouth does more than sing." It wasn't a question of any kind, obviously, because Darcia got down on the carpet kneeling in front of the teen.

Parting Tsume's knees, he leaned forward and rubbed his nose into the teen's crotch feeling the hardening swelling up against it. He hummed as he grabbed the metal fly with his teeth to unzip the leather pants; parting the teen's thighs a bit more he was pleased when the length of heat lobbed out of the barricade as though it had been banging at the door like a prisoner when had Tsume walked in. That was the great thing about skin-tight leather, it left no room for anything but skin.

Tsume watched as the singer parted his lips then consumed his erection in two swoops; the model grunted from the moist heat encasing him then the cool air in the room causing shivers when the singer leaned away a bit. His head went back against the sofa as the tip of Darcia's tongue found his slit over and over again. Knowing how touchy Faye could get about her appearance, Tsume chose to grab a pillow instead of into the singer's hair but was pleasantly surprised when Darcia guided his hands there.

Tsume slouched a bit as he gripped into Darcia's silken hair, he'd often fantasized about touching it and it lived up to his expectations. It felt good between his fingers and it smelled of cologne. Darcia's fingertips smoothed up Tsume's thighs until they reached the opened pants, the five digits slipped beyond the barrier and to his sack where they kneaded and rolled the balls of flesh.

Tsume bared his teeth from the sudden flood of heat inside of him and the pleasureful shivers that he had no control over. He was putty in the singer's game; his only response was futilely trying to keep silent should a bodyguard be listening in, but the verbal pleasure was forced from his mouth when those mischievous kneading fingers left his balls to scrape up the underside of his length. It was Tsume's demise and he moaned into his hand until he was left panting and worn.

Darcia sat back all smug and triumphant, and not bothering to wipe the back of his hand across his sullied mouth. "I took care of your problem, now you take care of mine." He grabbed Tsume by the collar of his shirt pulling him down to the carpet, where the teen laid witness to Darcia's exposed sex waiting and hard from where he'd been touching himself to the sounds of Tsume's pleasure.

Since the model was already unzipped Darcia slipped completely out of his pants as well. Laying over the teen he kissed him with tongue right away. Tsume didn't mind. The singer's hands grabbed onto the young man's hips and he thrust inside of him, no lube or anything. Tsume loved it. The pleasure- and pain- he felt that day was unspeakable.

He was sure nothing would ever feel like it again. Darcia plowed inside of him, his anal walls becoming wet as the singer's cock dripped inside of him. Tsume ground his sack into the soft hair above the man's length, moaning as though he could sing a song himself. He felt buoyant as he was bobbed up and down from the man's movements.

And it was ridiculous how much the model enjoyed soft lips against his neck and how much he enjoyed placing his lips on Darcia and tasting the man's many flavors of flesh and muscle against his pallet. It was as if the raging storm had hit the eye and the two just rested against each other kissing and touching with exploring hands.

And when the bliss broke back into the storm Tsume was lifted onto the man's lap and brought back into the bliss of the sliding and gliding up and down until the two lay on the fuzzy carpet panting in a sweaty heap. It was amazing they managed to go nearly an hour and a half without being interrupted for something. And if someone were at the door, the pair never heard them.

Darcia pressed his lips to the teen's panting mouth and he whispered quietly against him. "I loved this." He ran a hand through Tsume's white hair planting another kiss on his lips. "See me again tonight, alright? ...At my house, one of my men will give you the address."

The young model smirked with satisfaction at the triumph of getting the sexy singer interested in him. But as he began to clean himself up, Darcia said something to him right before he left the little room that changed Tsume for the rest of his life.

"You were a fun toy, I look forward to our next meeting."

Tsume could only stare after Darcia's departure. ...He was a... _toy_?

x x x

Commentary: I really am sorry for the hold-up, I'm doing two other stories and thinking about them is time-consuming like you wouldn't believe. It's no excuse, but I thank you for reading and the new readers as well. I think this will be the only moment with Tsume but I can't be sure, I just stare at a blank screen and see what comes to me for each chapter of anything. I'll update again, hopefully, sooner than this.


	5. No Reason

Kiba Wolf was haunting the pet shop. Every day the boy would do a drive-by after school, walking slowly and keeping an intense gaze upon the long glass door and windows. He really wanted to work in the pet store, but he has to know that he really isn't allowed. But the employee was weakening to continually telling the kid to 'shoo' and just wanting to hand him a broom and a pooper scooper and tell him he wouldn't be paid much, but he should be lucky he's paid at all. Then one day, the boy just stopped coming.

Frank was glad to not have to see the child anymore, but he did wonder what happened to him and if he was still looking for a job only now he's found one suited for someone his age. The kid may be mowing laws, or even walking dogs if he's still geared towards working with animals. Whatever he was up to, with eyes such as the ones the kid has, Frank was sure the boy wouldn't back down to accomplish whatever it was that he's after.

Kiba Wolf left school and dashed straight for the bus. He needs to hurry home and change out of his school clothes so he can then go to work. He finally managed to snag an easy and decent paying job that doesn't pay him in change. Sure he had to lie about his age and say that he's a short twelve-year-old, but he was gonna do whatever it took and sometimes it took lies. He learned this from the Fish project when the little pet died of natural fish causes- undoubtedly it saw it's reflection and was shocked to death.

But this job would work. The best feature is that there's nothing foul to clean up, and nothing that you'd lose sleep over if it died in your care. He's working in a flower shop. Theshopkeeper, Miss Lewis, has her job at the counter and she makes the arrangements with her assistant, Mrs. Rathbone. Kiba is in chargeof keeping the clippings of dead foliage off of the shop floor along with turning the sprinkler system on and off when the flowers need watering. He makes two dollars an hour, which, when you consider he shouldn't even be allowed to work isn't a bad offering. He'd like minimum wage, but he didn't expect it from any job he took, not until he's old enough to actually earn it without anyone making a big fuss.

 _'Where are my play sneakers?'_ Wondered the Wolf boy.

They should have been under the clothes on the right where they always are, but the space that's set for them is vacant. Kiba has made his place in the Lewboski home as sufficient as possible for his schedule, there was a place for everything. The school clothes are hung in the middle of the closet, the play clothes on the right and his work clothes on the left. His play sneakers go under his work clothes instead of his play clothes because during the week he has to be at the flower shop.

 _'Rats. Toboe...'_

It could have only been his little brother who took them, he's been sighing sadly and whining around that he, Kiba, isn't around enough to play with him anymore. He could wear his school sneakers to work, but there's a lot of dirt and water involved with tending to flowers and he'd rather not get them messy.

"Toboe!" He called over his shoulder as he backed away from the closet then he does an about-face for the bedroom's exit. "Toboe?" He called out into the hall knowing that his voice will carry downstairs. "Where are my play sneakers?"

"I don't know!" Toboe called from wherever he was in the house.

"I think you do know! Bring them here, I have to leave!"

He went back into the bedroom to search through their things in case they were simply hidden in the room and not somewhere in the entirety of the house. Kiba's becoming impatient now, this is the fourth time this has happened in the past two months. Where it was endearing, at first, a fifth time is just asking for a firm talking to.

"Dammit, Toboe, this isn't funny." He muttered to himself. Kiba doesn't swear often, but when he does it's usually under his breath. He doesn't want his guardians thinking he's turning into a delinquent.

"But why can't you stay home and hang out with me?" Toboe asked when appearing at the doorway; he's got his hands behind his back, clearly hiding the missing sneakers.

"This is too important, Toboe." He approached his little brother with an empathetic expression, but a determined one as well, he plans on getting his sneakers if he had to wrestle them from Toboe. "I have to work, why won't you let me?"

"Because you're never here, it's like you're..." He lowered his gaze to the floor.

"You have Cheza to play with, I'll be back at five," His hands went out in a shrug. "It's only two hours, you won't give me just two little hours?"

"Well..." With a sigh of regret, his arm shot out from behind his back holding the missing sneakers. "Just... just don't go to Hige's to hang out with him like before. I wanna play with you two."

Wrapping his arms around Toboe, he gave him a kiss atop his head. "I promise I won't. Get the Transformers ready by 4:50 and I'll be here to play."

"Thanks, Kiba." His grip squeezed around Kiba just a bit tighter before he let go of his brother.

Kiba slipped his socked feet into the sneakers then hurried down the stairs and out the watched from the window as his brother disappeared down the street.

0 0 0

Kiba led the garden hose about the shop washing the foliage through the room and to a drain over in the corner. When he was through with rinsing the floor the young employee went into the back storage room and began coiling the hose back around its spool. He listened to his bosses talking about some promotional deal that's going to be at the shop one the 23 this month, how some young model will give them amazing business once his Ad. gets featured in a magazine.

Kiba instantly wondered about getting a raise. To be paid actual minimum wage if the business went on a rise. He's never paid bills, but he's done his homework alongside Mr. Hubb for a while now and he can tell there's a lot of calculating that goes into it. He's an A student in every subject, but the math Mr. Hubb uses is a far more advanced than that of a fourth grader.

Kiba picked up the pile of clippings that he washed through the flower shop and stuffed them into a small bag. 'I wonder if I could ask him to teach me how to manage bills?' He moved the mop back and forth across the wet floor; the spongy pores soaked up the moisture easily and the water is then drained off into a bucket.

Miss Lewis looked over her shoulder from the lean she has against the countertop to see what her young employee is up to. A smile spread across her corner-of-the-mouth wrinkled lips. "Kiba, you're doing a good job with that."

"Thank you, Miss Lewis," replied the youth. "And, can I ask you about the model that's coming here?"

"That reminds me," Miss Lewis snapped her fingers straightening up from her slant. "you don't have to come in one the twenty-third, the store's going to be used as a location for a model shoot- isn't that exciting?"

"That's fine, but," Kiba tried steering the woman back towards the unstarted conversation of his getting a raise, but his attempts continued to fall on deaf ears.

"He's a bit young for me, though." Commented Mrs. Rathbone with her lips poked out in a pout.

She's in her early thirties but already behaved like a washed up spinster without a shot at love. She looked past the shopkeeper to a mirror on the wall behind her and with a couple of well-placed flicks of her fingertips she fixed her blonde bangs so that they're fluffed up and voluminous in appearance. She's in the middle of a separation and looking for some in-between entertainment before deciding whether or not she really loved her husband enough to change the situation of 'Taking a break' to 'Divorce'.

Kiba went back to cleaning up as the women giggled and chatted about a time when they'd dated a younger guy, though not as young as a twenty-year-old but close enough. The young boy didn't understand it when Miss Lewis said: "If I had dated a twenty-year-old I could have taught him a thing or two". What did something like that even mean? By the end of his shift at the shop, Kiba found himself in the storage room with the shopkeeper. He figured it would be a good time to talk to her since Mrs. Rathbone was out front making a new bouquet.

"Miss Lewis, can I ask you about the modeling thing?" He began swaying back and forth but steadied his nerves by pretending to admire the bouquets set up on the shelves. Each bundle of beauty has a label for the delivery boy to take to the addressed.

"Yes? Did you want me to put in a word for you?" She teased. "You're cute, but I think modeling companies want handsome, I'm sorry."

Embarrassed, Kiba scratched a hand through the back of his hair. "I definitely don't want to model, I wanted to ask you about a raise..."

"A raise?"

"Yes." He turned to face her, his face serious and his tone even and full of authority. "You and Mrs. Rathbone were talking about the store getting publicity, and how the customers will come pouring in... I thought if there's a boost in customers that I could get a raise."

The aging woman crossed her arms and asked him with a kind tone. "How much are you thinking?"

"Normal minimum wage?"

Miss Lewis took a seat on a stool before one of the shelves of the flowerbeds then shrugged. "I could give you a raise, but, Kiba... You have to understand that you're barely at legal age to be working here as it is. The true workers permit age is fourteen to fifteen, you're only twelve."

"I'm more responsible than most of the fourteen-year-olds I know, that's not fair to judge me based on age."

Miss Lewis looked weary but also understanding. "Kiba, can I ask you why you want a raise?" She's seen that old bike he's always riding to work, and his sneakers look like they are hand-me-downs because of the excessive dirt. She doesn't have kids of her own but she was sure their footwear looked a little more wearable than that. "Is it to buy a new bike? I can lend you the shops bike to get to and from work,"

"No. I'm saving it up." Replied the child with a determination in his tone that silenced any more questions she might have had.

"Alright, Kiba. When the models leave, I'll see about giving you a raise."

A smile brightened the boy's face and he fought the urge to hug the woman, though she needed to relent to the idea she still decided to do it. Kiba removed the store apron and set the cleaning materials back into their rightful place before saying goodbye to his employers; his joyful feet could barely find the pedals on the bike as he climbed on and headed for home.

...

"That's great, Kiba!" Hige cheered when his best friend just told him the big news about his job.

Hige was in the same boat as Toboe insofar as Kiba never being around to hang out, but he, unlike Toboe, was very happy that his friend could at least do what he wanted to do- however odd he found it for a guy his age to want a job. Kiba had been a mystery to him since day one. He didn't know what happened to his best friend's parents, just that they're dead. And Kiba's made no indication that he'd ever tell him, which is kind of bothersome but also slightly appealing. Hige's never known someone like Kiba, and he's not gonna lose his best friend over some stupid curiosity kick. He'd find out someday, he was hopeful, at least.

"So how much is it gonna be?" Wondered the Moon child.

"Normal minimum wage, but it's still pretty good."

"Yeah. I say we spend that first paycheck on eats and rides at Five Flags or somewhere... I've never been to one and able to get on the decent rides."

Kiba's brows furrowed, perplexed over the statement. "Huh?"

"I was taken to a park when I was four, I was only allowed to ride the merry-go-round."

"The merry-go-round's pretty good, though."

"Not when you're seeing other kids riding roller coasters." Hige pouted. "There was a train for six to ten-year-olds, it didn't even have loops or anything! You mean to tell me a four-year-old can't sit still and ride around a slightly elevated oval-shaped track?"

"Good point, but Hige," Kiba took on the tone he got with Toboe whenever his little brother was particularly impossible to reason with. "I'm not making money for playing around, I've gotta get that family out of my old house so I can buy it back."

"Your old house? Ahaha," he didn't mean to laugh, but Kiba's plans were so fantastic that that was all he could think to do. "Kiba, do you have any idea how much owning a home cost?"

"Yes, and that's not exactly what I meant... My family already owns the home, and we're renting it to keep it that way. But... I'd rather have the house empty. But I can't do that to the Lebowskis when they were so nice to take us in."

"You're not an act of charity, Kib', anyone would have done it."

"They wouldn't, Toboe and I would be in foster care and separated." His voice lowered. "No one ever wants to adopt two children."

"Remind me again of how old you are?" Hige sounded sad, then his tone became hopeful. "Hey, so when can we hang out? Are you free this weekend?"

"I am, that's when the model is coming through. What do you wanna do?" Kiba's attention left the phone call and landed on his little brother who's setting up the large building block along with a few of Cheza's interchangeable-limbs dolls.

"Frisbee at the park; maybe I can get my mom to pack us a picnic- we can play jungle explorers again!"

"Yeah!" Kiba loved that game.

It had been spur of the moment, they were at the park avoiding the lazy drifting bees when Hige began narrating that they'd just spotted a rare striped bee. They were having so much fun with it that they got up from the bench and grabbed some sticks long enough to pose as a walking stick and they then explored the park like it were the Amazon rain forest. Toboe and Cheza had been adorable as the local natives telling them about the land and the best places to find anything.

"Hige, I'm gonna play with my brother, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Later then, say good night to the squirt for me."

"I will. Good night." Hanging up the cell phone, Kiba left it on his bed as he slid down to the floor, crawling over to where his brother is setting up a fort wall. "Hige says good night."

"Oh. What were so excited about?" His small hands snapped a large block into place; the castle wall or possibly the wall of a house looked like subliminal messaging for a ketchup and mustard ad.

"We're going to the park tomorrow to play explorers again, you can be an explorer too this time." Picking up the doll Cindy he tugged her legs free and swapped them with Paola because she's wearing purple tights. But he wanted the doll with the bright orange hair. "Are we building separate houses?"

"Yeah, I don't need many blocks," Toboe took two dolls and one of their ninja action figures then set them down inside of the ketchup and mustard structure. "Shoot, I forgot the front door." Removing a couple blocks in one section to create and opening he looked across the distance and smiled at his brother. Kiba always keeps his promises.

The Wolf brothers played pretend, starting with a barbecue between neighbors then an alien invasion happening while they slept. Being the only survivors the two families hide together in one home and plotted how to stop the aliens.

The game went on until bedtime; Cher came in and kissed them both asking if they needed anything before she turned in, and after a cup of milk and saying good night to Cheza, Toboe returned to their room ready for bed... Well, almost.

"Kiba?" Rolling onto his side he looked at his brother's darkened-over shadow. "Do you think I could get a job too?"

"Why would you wanna get a job, you're six?"

" _You_ have a job... I wanna help you."

Chuckling, Kiba shook his head. "Toboe, you're helping me by going to school and being good for Mr. Hubb and Mrs. Cher." Hearing the sad sigh, he added a little more water to the flames trying to extinguish the younger boy's burning need to join in on his brother's activities. "Working is hard, especially when you're young."

"Are you much older than me?"

"I'm nine. They won't let really young kids work, look how long it took for me to find a job."

"Yeah... Kiba, why're you working again?"

"For the future, our future." Kiba nodded to affirm his standing. "Let's just focus on tomorrow, we're gonna have a ton of fun at the park."

"You don't have work?"

"Nope. I got the day off."

"Good." Snuggling under the blanket he closed his eyes. "Can we get an ice cream too?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, Kiba." With a smile on his face, the younger Wolf boy fell asleep.

Kiba tried to fall asleep, but he remained awake for a couple of hours worrying about Toboe. He wondered if he was really setting a good example for his brother if his working is burdening him to feel that he needs a job too. He's robbing Toboe of his childhood.

 _'Maybe I'm exaggerating, maybe Toboe is just a sweet kid who wants to help out?'_ His large blue eyes looked over at his brother. _'I should cut back on my working, make it three times a week instead of five... That'll look real good asking for fewer days after I just asked for a raise. Damn it.'_

Kiba let out a sigh into the silent atmosphere then closed his eyes. Growing up was beginning to be cruel.

0 0 0

It was a gorgeous day to be at the park. The sun was shining and there were clouds drifting through the sky at a good pace because of an unexpected breeze passing. The four kids walked along a bench pretending it's a rickety, old bridge in the deep reaches of a newly found jungle.

"What to next?" Hige looked over his best friend's shoulder; Kiba's looking over an imaginary map that they're drawing up as they go along the uncharted land.

"It looks like there's a fork in the road," Kiba looks left then right at the areas divided in his mind by a cavernous cave and a slither of trees caked together by thick vines when in reality it's just the footbridge that exists in the actual park, separating nothing more than the left side of the lake and the right.

"Cheza and I will explore the mountain side on the right," Toboe said when debating the divided areas for himself. It would seem their imaginations had gone in different directions but Toboe could imagine whatever he wanted when their thoughts weren't always expressed. "Hopefully, we'll meet on the other side."

"Watch out for snakes you two," Hige mentioned, having seen the jungle and cave that Kiba has.

"And you watch out for crocodiles," Toboe informed before taking Cheza's hand and leading her towards the rocky cliffs.

Scratching his head, Hige perplexed. "Crocodiles? In a cave?"

"I think he meant cave dwellers. Come on, Hige,"

Following after Kiba the two began to grope their way through the dark tunnels of a cave.

After about ten minutes of wandering around the park, Hige took Kiba by the wrist and led him back over to the bridge and under it.

"Did you see a cave dweller?" Kiba asked about the sudden covert behavior from his best friend.

"No. I just wanted to... I don't know," Hige suddenly lunged at him wrapping his arms firmly around his best friend's shoulder hugging him tightly.

Chuckling, Kiba hugged Hige back. "What's this for?" He asked, still in within the embrace.

"It's just been a while since we've had some fun, you've been working so much... I missed you."

Kiba wasn't sure why that made his cheeks heat, but he couldn't look at Hige and instead his gaze brushed past his friend's eyes and behind him. "Umm, yeah... thanks, I missed you too, Hige."

Hige let out another unexpected laugh and hugged Kiba again. "Now," he moved back a step "let's find the exit before the runt and Cheza have to come get us."

"Okay."

Kiba watched as Hige turned on a flashlight, which in reality is a small stick, and started off. The Wolf boy waited a moment for his heart rate to stop rapidly pounding before he followed after him with his own flashlight turned on.

It was kind of embarrassing to have Hige express himself like that, he never has before, so it was kind of strange for it to happen. First Toboe now Hige... Kiba couldn't figure out why he was on such high demand with the two. He missed them, but not most of the time because he knows he's working towards a goal. Maybe he's too blind to the real situation? Maybe he should seek some counseling?

When the kids wandered home for lunch after another hour of playing around by the lake, Kiba took his plate of a honey ham and cheddar cheese with a side of carrot sticks and a bag of sour cream and cheddar chips sandwich upstairs to the master bedroom where Mrs. Cher was reading a book.

Cher looked up from the work of fiction when the cracked bedroom door widened. "Hello, Kiba, did you bring me a snack?" She asked when seeing the plate in his hand.

"Sorry, this is my lunch," he set the plate down on the bedside table then climbed onto the bed to sit beside his guardian. "Can I talk to you? Privately?"

"Kiba, this is private," Cher explained "Hubb's downstairs. Is something the matter?"

"I meant private as in you won't tell anyone what I'm about to say?"

"Oh," she blinked, setting aside her book she gave her attention to the troubled child. "Go ahead."

"I've kind of been spending my spare time working," Kiba felt his stomach tighten having admitted his secret life to the woman.

He planned on telling them once he was actually old enough to be allowed a job, but this was too important to not ask about. He didn't want the newly acquired stomach aches come on every time he left the house for work, or when has to turn down invitations to play whenever Hige called him up. Kiba just needed some solid assurance that he's doing the right thing or that he's making a mistake. Cher Lebowski has taken another job in order to support three children in her home, why should all the responsibility be on the Lebowskis?

"I know, you've been walking the Poynter's and the Cranston's dogs." Cher's expression softened. "Is that it, you don't want to do it anymore?"

"No. I meant another job, one for a real job." He sucked in a breath to steady himself. "I've been working at the local flower shop got under minimum wage."

"How? You're not old enough to apply..."

"It's because I'm not making as much as an actual employee would make that I was hired," Kiba picked up his sandwich and took a few bites from it to find the right words to say. Once he swallowed he continued. "I don't do anything too strenuous, I just clean up, but," he stopped her lips before the reprimand could come out by cutting her off "I clean Toboe and my room each week." He shrugged. "It's not a big deal to mop a floor or pick up dead flowers."

"But, Kiba... You're just a nine-year-old boy, it's not your business to be working and saving up money for anything other than bubble gum and fake vomit. ...It's breaking my heart, and Hubb's too. You should be relaxing over the summer not working." Pulling the boy to her she hugs him tightly, rubbing warmth into his skinny little arms. "Your only job is to go to school and get good grades, and you're very good at that."

"But, it won't help me get our house back from those people..."

"Kiba, the rent they're paying..." She stopped herself when the Wolf child's big blue gaze fell upon her own, the sorrow there could have drowned her in her own personal troubles. "How can I explain this? ...Kiba, when the renters pay their bills a small portion of it goes into a bank account that Hubb started for you and your brother."

"Yeah, towards college..." Grumped the nine-year-old going on 40.

"Well, what if we put it towards your savings to get your house?"

Cher isn't sure what exactly Kiba was working for with his many jobs and worries. Was it to have the home emptied of anyone? Or was it so he and his brother could live in it? Kiba had to know that that wasn't possible. Children can't live on their own like that, it bad for them and society. Someone would notice and report the situation, then where would they be?

"Would you really do that?"

"If you promise to cut back on your worrying. A little boy,"

"I'm _niiiine_."

"Excuse me, a nine-year-old shouldn't have the worries that we adults have." To further example to her point, she says. "I got a second job because we need more money for you and your brother's clothing, school supplies, food for a larger family... It isn't because we see you and your brother as a problem, it's because Hubb and I had planned our budget around ourselves and Cheza. You and Toboe were unexpected but not unwanted... You don't have to feel like a burden. That is why you want your home back, isn't it?"

Kiba shifted uneasily from Cher's embrace. She sort of hit the nail on the head. It wasn't just that he wanted his home back for Toboe and himself, he didn't want to be a bother to the Lebowski family. It's been three years almost and each Christmas and birthday, Halloween- even Easter, he feels like a bigger jerk because he and Toboe are costing the kind family time they should have with each other working. How can she sit here and tell him to stop working when there're so many things about him and Toboe that are going to cost them?

"Kiba, even if you were to be able to afford the bills for your house you're not ready for what it takes to live there on your own. You boys need a skill-set you don't yet have."

"But we could learn... And at least we'd have each other."

Cher didn't know what to say, Kiba seemed determined to go through with all of this no matter what. With a hapless sigh, she tousled the boy's shaggy hair and thought it was time that he got a trim. "Go on, eat your lunch and don't worry about anything anymore. I'm serious, Kiba... I'll help you anyway that I can, but you're going to have to meet me halfway."

Sliding from the high bed to the floor, Kiba grabbed his plate from the table. "What does that mean?" His brows furrow with question.

"If we get the renters out of your house, then you're going to have to remain here with us until you're old enough to take care of yourselves. And even then, I'm going to continue checking up on you boys and caring for you."

Cher withheld the fact that with the borders gone, she and Hubb would have another home to pay for, Kiba can't do it on his own and still expect to be fed on one paycheck. But she didn't want the kid dropping out of school in order to get another job. That meant another job for Hubb as well.

 _'Oh, well, I'll just call my mother to take care of Cheza when Hubb and I can't.'_ Seeing Kiba approach the bed she looked confused when the boy stuck out his hand to shake hers.

"Deal?" He asked.

Smiling wearily, she took his hand and shook it. "Deal."

"Thanks, Mrs. Cher." With his lunch, he exited the bedroom with renewed assurance that he's right to continue working in the sacrifice of fun.

 _'With any luck, he won't be able to afford the place until he's twenty-one.'_ Cher grabbed her book and feigned reading around her own newly acquired troubles.

x x x

Commentary: The next chapter will be about love, wish me luck I stink with love T_T ahaha. I'll do my best for you guys, I promise.


	6. That's a first for me

"What? What did you wanna show me?" Kiba's scrawny twelve-year-old legs were barely able to keep up with Hige's quick pace, and he's getting dragged along to some hole in the city that his best friend is taking him to, because of something there that he just _has_ to see.

"Just look," Hige stopped running and dropped Kiba's hand before walking on up ahead. "It's a puppy," he pointed down into a semi-empty trash can.

"It's a puppy?" Kiba reached in without hesitation to lift the baby husky from the unfortunate bedding. "Aww, who put you in there, boy? Hmm? Who's so cruel they'd just leave you behind?" He pet the whimpering animal, cradling it as he swayed himself left and right like it was a baby.

"Since you like money so much, I thought you'd like to be the one to return this little guy to Ashburrow drive,"

Kiba cast Hige a belligerent glance. "It's not that I like money, I just need it." He watched Hige remove the dog's collar from inside the can. "I found the dog, and when he moved to look up at me, I saw this. He must have wriggled out of it,"

"I hope _you_ didn't put him in the can?"

" _Me_? _Never_. I love animals!" Petting the dog on the top of its head, he then said to Kiba. "I don't know who put him in there, but it was pretty jerky. I just needed him to stay put so I didn't move him. I'm just hoping it wasn't someone who owned it- pet owners can be weird sometimes." He undid the collar's clasp to return it around the dog's neck. "Let's give him back to his home."

"Yeah." Walking to the park exit, Kiba casts Hige a small smirk. "It's lucky he's got an owner, Mrs. Cher would never let me and Toboe and Cheza have a pet. And we know what a clutz you are as a pet owner."

Hige blinked at that comment. "How so?"

"Neptune," Kiba sang.

"Neptune was... well... He really shouldn't have inhaled the water, didn't that dumb bird know what a bath was?"

"What bath? You maimed him with the hard spray!"

Hige waved innocent hands. "I hadn't done it on purpose, that's the real point being made." Stuffing his hands into his pocket, he watched Kiba nuzzling the puppy and felt a bit of envy grow in his stomach. "So, Kiba, can you make it to my birthday party?"

Slanting a glance at Hige he asked with caution in his tone. "Why? Are you planning some extravagant party?"

"It wouldn't be a big deal party, I know you hate that,"

And he did know. When they were ten-year-olds, Hige planned out this whole big surprise party for Kiba, and ushered him to the park under false pretenses of wanting to play soccer with a bunch of other kids from school. Kiba went along happily, ready to enjoy his free time, but when they got to the park and he saw all the streamers and food and games, his friends and loved ones, he broke into a fit of tears. He hated it, and flat out refused to celebrate. Toboe was disappointed but he didn't hesitate to go back to their home with the Lebowski's to keep his brother company.

Hige had never figured out what the problem was, and he didn't dare to ask. A lot of the time, when he would ask Kiba questions, the reply would be vague or not at all. Sometimes Kiba would even change subjects on him. It could be very frustrating for someone as inquisitive as Hige is.

Walking the edging of the curb as if he were on a tight-rope and needed to balance himself, the Moon boy then he lowered his foot up and down the small dip from the sidewalk to the street. "But, y'know, just a small get together of our closest friends and your brother and Cheza."

"Oh. But, no, I don't have work or anything. I'll definitely be there."

After returning the puppy to its happy owner; Hige and Kiba, who's now 50 dollars richer, went downtown to the party store to look over theme plates and party favors. It would seem to a somewhat well-to-do Moon family a small gathering was a semi-blowout because they bought favors, games to play, gifts to get for the winners of the games they'll play, balloons for helium and water, and the coup de grace a motorized racing boat for Hige's gift.

Kiba thought it was odd for Hige to buy a gift for himself, Hige also bought a boat for him as well so they could play with them together. As far as birthday presents go, he liked surprises. Not so much in life. Even so, gifts were always such an oddity to him, he didn't really want anything. Kiba really just wanted his home back and only hard work and money could give him that gift. The home has been empty for some time now, and all the Wolf family's things were returned to it, cleaned and polished. The home sat in the neighborhood like a mausoleum. No one physical lived there, maybe not even restless spirits. But it gave Kiba peace. Peace that his parent's scent was restored to their bedroom with a simple spritz of their perfume and cologne, and the use of the couple's favorite soap in the bathroom.

Cher had helped with the expenses, as promised, and Kiba focused more on his studies and school work, but he maintained his job at the flower shop. Now and then he would sneak over to his home and just sit in his parent's bedroom, taking in their scent and refreshing their memory while telling them what's been going on with him and Toboe. He continued to help with the cost of the home, which wasn't as expensive with the utilities turned off. And, as promised, he got a raise once those models came through and the business took a boom in sales.

Kiba couldn't believe how stupid the whole thing was. What did good looks have to do with flowers? They were the same as they had been any other time of the year, why were customers so interested in them now? He was glad Hige wasn't shallow. Hige liked him for him, and not because he thought he was handsome.

 _'Come to think of it, Hige's never really paid me any kind of a compliment... He's really a great friend,'_ A small smile spread across Kiba's face, and he grabbed a hold of Hige's hand.

One would think Hige had been a victim of a cold finger run up his spine with the way he stiffened, but he quickly relaxed playing it off like the wind caught him off guard. Looks like he was in for another night of imaginative-lover. Hige was kind of embarrassed about it, to be honest, he didn't think about sex or anything like it until his feelings for Kiba shifted from friend to love interest due to the most mundane thing.

It was earlier in the year when the feelings came about. They were doing homework at his house and Kiba was explaining the science assignment to him, he was watching Kiba's profile and found himself appreciating the lines of his exposed ear. Hige traced the lines with the tip of his index finger, and fell for Kiba like a bulldozer had barrelled the feelings there because instead of brushing his touch away or casting him a stink-eye look, Kiba only smiled as he continued explaining the problem.

Kiba Wolf had changed a great deal after he'd gotten a raise from the ladies at the flower shop, he seemed more accessible than before. Hige had always thought that work that was worth a raise would create a busier schedule, but if Kiba was working harder he had a casual way of showing it and somehow that intrigued Hige's interest more. Kiba's so mature and centered, it's irresistible. He removed his hand from Kiba's and brushed it down his pant leg; he chuckled before returning the hold of their hands.

0 0 0

Kiba felt his eye twitch. When he left the house that morning with Toboe and Cheza he hadn't expected to arrive at Hige's place and see more than two friends occupying the backyard along with a very brightly colored and oversized bounce castle.

 _'Hige, what happened to not making a big deal out of it?'_ he shook his head and decided to just buck up and go along with it. The party wasn't for him, after all. There was just no changing some people. He could understand that. But still...

Last year Kiba had an almost perfect birthday party. Hige was out of town visiting his father, which is the only thing keeping the day a little low on the 10 point scale, but his friend sent a gift to him in the mail- a check for 100 dollars, along with instructions that Kiba buy himself whatever he'd like with it. Kiba didn't buy anything with it, he stuck it in with the rest of his savings and enjoyed a batch of marble cupcakes and an animated movie out and a pizza dinner with his new family.

But with Hige, it was always a social event, the Moon child likes people; unfortunately, Kiba has to be a part of that sometimes, and birthdays with Hige are one of those times. It isn't that he doesn't like his classmates, none of them have been cruel to him, or bring up his parents anymore- not after the first year of their death- but, you know how it is.

"Kiba! Over here," Hige waved him over, draping an arm around his friend's shoulders once he was close enough to him. "Is this fun or what?"

"I only just got here, but, what's with the bounce house?" Kiba looked over his shoulder at the shaking monstrosity.

"That was my mom's idea, she said it's her gift to the atmosphere." Shaking Kiba's shoulders, he beams a large grin at his best friend. "I've been in there four times since it's been blown up, you gotta try it."

"Okay," he chuckled happily. He's happy that Hige's happy, and his friend's joy is contagious- it always has been.

He looked for his little brother, not surprised to see nothing but Toboe's foot as he disappeared into the castle with Cheza close behind him. The kids all bounced and chatter through breathless excitement, they left the colorful trampoline to eat chips and cupcakes and pizza or drink tropical fruit punch juice in 'The Tiger Ninjas' themed plastic cups he and Hige had picked out at the party store. They loved that show, and even with his sometimes busy schedule, Kiba was sure to keep up with each episode.

The mini games around the yard amused Toboe and Cheza and his classmates, but Kiba mostly watched them playing around to win little things. Hige preened as he accepted all the birthday greetings and well-wishes with a smile and a ready 'thank you' to those who verbally or physically offered one; only a couple of the kids treated it as any other party that didn't specifically belong to anybody but that was fine too.

It's been Kiba's experience that no one on the planet has a birthday and aren't completely embarrassed by the cake being brought out, all the focus is on you, off-key singing from your friends and loved ones, and the make a wish applauding. Birthdays can be very exhausting once the fun and edible deliciousness ran out, but even when you don't want it, it feels nice. And by the time everyone went on home happy and full, and Toboe and Cheza took a decided nap on their way back to the Lebowski's, Hige and Kiba are alone at the Moon home to play in the bounce house doing Judo tosses and wrestling pins.

Kiba fell on his back, exhaustion finally setting in, he just wanted to rest now. Hige joined him in the center of the trampoline, but rather than laying down he crawled small circles around his friend.

"Pretty good birthday, huh Kib'?" He stopped moving to look down at him.

"Yeah. I've never had mushrooms on a pizza before, it was good." Was his coy reply.

"Oh come on, you liked more than that," Hige flopped down on his back but rolled over onto his side to look at Kiba. "You've gotta learn to have fun at times like these. I shouldn't have to keep reminding you of how old you are."

Kiba squinted at Hige in mock anger. "Oh? And how old am I?"

"Old enough to play around and not be such a square."

"It beats being a weirdo," Kiba smiled.

"You wish I was the weird one in this duo," Hige snickered. "Lift your head," he slides a pillow beneath Kiba's head. "So, do you wanna hear my fun idea?"

"I'm guessing it's something that involves pillows. Are we gonna have a pillow fight?"

"We're gonna sleep out here like camping," Straddling his best friend, Hige bounces up and down on his lap excitedly. "Isn't this great Kib', when we wake up we can just start playing- so long as we don't get too loud." He bounces even harder.

The Wolf boy felt a heat in his cheeks and turned his head as if to hide it in the pillow. "Hige, get off." He whined. He did not like how his body was reacting to his best friend bouncing on him.

"What for? This is what you're supposed to do in a bounce house." He snickers, his high pitched voice lowered a hair so his Mom wouldn't overhear and think he was harassing Kiba. His dad was had taken Toboe and Cheza back to their home. "Why don't you make me move?" He teased further.

Shifting his hips, Kiba tries shoving Hige aside with his hand but that only made his friend press further down against him. "Hige," Kiba insisted.

Laughing more, Hige says. "I think you like it, otherwise you wouldn't be blushing." Looking down when he feels a lump press into his groin, Hige's grin widens. "Oh-ho, what's this?" He grabs Kiba's package giving it a squeeze.

"Hige don't!" Kiba, this time, manages to shove his goofy friend aside. Scooting away from him, he lowers his gaze in an embarrassed blush. "Cut it out, alright."

Rolling his eyes, Hige crawls closer to him. "Hey relax, this happens to me all the time."

"I'm no idiot!" Snaps Kiba. Lowering his tone he then says. "It's happened to me too, but... it's how I get rid of it that's embarrassing and I'd rather not go through your house with this to pee."

"Pee? That works?" Hige sat up against the wobbling wall beside Kiba. "Gee, I should have tried that out."

"Why? What have you been doing?" Asks Kiba not knowing what he was getting into.

"Here," he reaches for Kiba's fly, "let me show you."

"Hige," He smacks his friend's hand away, "what are you doing? Your parents could come out here."

"It's ten o'clock and my parents work in the morning- and are currently distracted. Besides, the first time is always really quick."

Uncertain, Kiba asked. "It is?"

"Sure. Trust me, now lay down."

Still unsure of what his friend plans to do, Kiba lays down on his blanket. "Go ahead."

"Alright." Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, Hige stuffs the warm appendage into Kiba's pants cupping the brunet's balls with his palm.

He smiled when Kiba twitched and let out a low heated sigh. His breathing grew heavier with each roll of his nether region.

"Good stuff, right?" Only problem was now that he's giving Kiba a handjob, he's got his own to take care of later, although with the vocal treatment Kiba is offering it won't take him long to get rid of it. He's never heard it out loud, the low sighs and sensual sounds of his best friend. Those moments were within his mind as he daydreamed in bed at night with his hand in is pants.

Eyes cracking to a slit when his thighs tighten, Kiba looks down at Hige's hand wondering how he hasn't become a shut-in to do this to himself nonstop; his azure gaze lowered to the helpful Moon boy's lap seeing a similar lump there and decides to help Hige out by mimicking what's being done to him.

By the end of it, Hige was on top of Kiba's lap hunched over receiving the most jumbled, yet, wonderful handjob that he himself could never do or ever imagine, since it was only ever his own hand pleasuring him.

Going inside to clean up had been like an assignment for a true ninja. Mrs. Moon had gone off to work but Mr. Moon was still hanging around the house, he felt no need to go back home right away since his wife is out of the house. He was seated on the couch watching a football game and eating some of the leftover pizza from the party.

Kiba and Hige scurried up the stairs as stealthily as they could and managed to spirit away into the safety of the bathroom, where they closed and locked the door. Both young teens snuck peeks as they dropped their pants and toweled away the mess left inside their boxers and against their bodies. Though their hands worked the towel quickly over the sullied surfaces, their glances took their time seeing all that was to be seen, which was fairly easy since they chose to stand in front of each other.

Walking into Hige's bedroom, Kiba was the first to crack a smile before laughter rang out from Hige over what they'd done. It was exhilarating! The two laughed and laughed until exhaustion won over and they had no choice but to stop.

"I'm sorry, Kiba," Hige sat at his desk, a safe distance from Kiba who sat on his bed. "I think I might have taken advantage of you,"

"What do you mean?"

"I've been wanting to do that for a while," Hige sheepishly scratched the back of his head with a guilty smile on his face. "I just never had an opening, it's kind of the reason that I wanted to camp out in the bounce house."

"To take advantage of me? Hige, you dog." But Kiba was smiling.

"So... What do you think? Are you still interested in camping out in the bounce house, or are we finished from there?" Hige's brows rose in a silent request that the answer be said here and now rather than thought over.

"First, I just wanna say that I never exactly agreed to stay over in the first place, much less to camp with you in the backyard... But," Kiba's gaze shot to the window, and he did his best to conceal his delight over the idea of being alone with Hige in new ways.

He's never thought about sex, though he's aware of it. It just didn't cross his mind like other guys. He's got more important things to think about. He wondered what it meant for the two of them. Did fooling around make Hige his boyfriend or was it just a 'something' between them? He's seen movie trailers talking about friends with benefits. Is that what they'll become after today? Looking at Hige he wondered if he wanted that sort of friendship or did he want the more?

"It's kinda weird, though... I've never even had a first kiss and you're asking me to do this?" Kiba shrugged his shoulder. Their isolated incident was starting to come clear from the fog and the Wolf boy was starting to see a two-way street but didn't know which way to turn.

Hige seemed to be debating that statement, then he got up from his seat and crossed the distance between them. He leaned over before Kiba and closed off the gap between his shocked friend and himself.

Kiba's wide-eyed gaze shuddered shut as he tasted a soft sort of sweetness from the cupcakes they ate earlier, and a comfortable sort of warmth from Hige's breaths in and out of his nose. Even after what they'd done in the bounce house, his heart rate hadn't sped up like this. He's never been touched this way, more private than anything that went on with his privates- and you were supposed to hide that sort of thing from viewers. But to be kissed... It made the muddy as clear as glass.

It couldn't be anyone but Hige for him. All these girls at school would giggle and ask him if he was free to do something, or young girls would come around the flower shop and watch him through the window, he could tell because what girl would steal shy glances at a bunch if flowers or even at the florists who own the shop? But, he's never cared or paid them any particular attention, not even when they flat out told him they like him. The only young person who could get Kiba's time outside of his brother was Hige. And when he placed his hand up to grab Hige's shirt, he felt something else for the first time that day ... Someone, not related to him, loved him.

Hige broke their kiss, thinking that Kiba's latching onto his shirt was his way of asking for him to give them a breather. Hige smiled at Kiba, a kind, and a sweet smile that he's never offered his friend before and then he asked so quietly and privately. "So, can we?"

Kiba didn't trust his voice not to squeak so he simply nodded to confirm. But it was more than just agreeing to sleep in the backyard with his friend. It agreed to so much more.

x x x

Commentary: I told ya we'd get to the relationship part. The next chapter is gonna be rated. I'm not sure if it'll be heavily or moderately like this one until I get there, so I'll be thinking about that. Have a good week! And thank you for the favorites, follows, and reviews if you choose to.


	7. Provoked Emotions

Kiba was spending more and more time with Hige, Toboe noticed. Every day after school he would mutter in his general direction that he was going over to Hige's and before he could even say 'Ok, have fun' his brother was off like a light. What were they doing these days that was suddenly so great from any other time? It had always been the three of them when they played outside, and the four of them when they played over at the Lebowski home. But now all of a sudden he's getting the 'you stay here' treatment from his brother. Hige he sort of expected it from, he's always calling him squirt or runt, as if he can't hang out just as a bigger kid. They're not that much older than he is.

One night before bed he asked his brother if something was wrong with him? If he and Hige don't like him anymore but they're being polite about it. Kiba replied 'No, of course not. Hige and I both like you a lot, Toboe'. It satiated him, at the time, but a little later from then he asked his brother what was so great if they didn't stop liking him. Kiba got a far away look, and he sort of smiled secretly but not to himself because Toboe saw it before it disappeared for his brother to reply. "Nothing."

Nothing. Nothing doesn't make you smile like that. He was sure they were up to something, and he sort of figured what it was. Kiba sometimes came home and smelled funny, like he'd been rolling around in the grass for ages or he'd been through the perfume department in the mall. It was unusual and various. And again, Toboe asked what was going on? Does Hige have a puppy they refuse to share? Toboe knew what happened to Hige's pet bird, so he hoped it wasn't an animal giving the pair so much secrecy and amusement. Then he wondered if maybe Kiba was spending his work money on toys and games, and delicious foods and they didn't want to share it. That just got him mad. He'd share his money if he had any, and it wasn't like Kiba to be stingy if he were being frivolous- even Hige, who always has cash shared and bought them treats. No, he's sure it's got nothing to do with money.

And the next time he asked Kiba told him that he and Hige were studying for tests and doing homework, that it was funny because they made up dumb rhymes and things to help them remember. Toboe wouldn't understand. Kiba was right, he didn't understand, he knew it was lame but he didn't understand.

Was studying really so much fun? Were their 'dumb rhymes' really so silly that it was something to look forward to just about every day? Toboe wondered if he'd ever gone through such a phase and that's when he recalled Dalila and climbing trees. He liked climbing trees and she liked climbing trees and for a while, they'd done that together and he only could think about the next time he could shimmy up a rough branch with bark scraping his fingers and hands, and the thrill of going higher each time. But getting that feeling over something like _homework_? Homework and studying couldn't come close to climbing trees no matter what kind of game they made of it. He's done homework before, he's even come up with ways to remember the tough stuff but he's never cared the way his brother and Hige do. The tests he takes are pretty easy anyway, but, are three years really that much different academically?

It motivated Toboe, all that studying his brother does- maybe he's become smart enough to skip a grade or two then he could be at the same level as his brother and Hige and they could all study together. It was through a pipe, but it was a nice dream in any case. Though, he did apply his self much harder this year than he had in the last. He wasn't going to lose his brother to something as lame as a grade point average.

Even still, he couldn't help wondering why studying with Hige was so great or why they always had to do it at the Moon home. They can't be having secret parties or anything because Kiba's grades haven't waned even the slightest. Maybe Hige has really good snacks. He studies with Cheza whenever they have tests coming up and he's never gotten any real kick out of it. It's just school work brought home as usual.

Toboe supposed it would be selfish hoping that it was so dull at the Moon boy's home that Hige and his brother are actually sitting in an awkward silence and wondering what's happened to their friendship.

He smiled at his almost lecherous thought. Not lecherous in the sense that he's in love with his brother romantically, but lecherous because it's kind of a mean and indulgent thought of wanting to be the most important person in his brother's life- for always. Hige's fun and he even likes him, but it's just not fair that he has the ability to replace him as number one in Kiba's life. And it's hard to compete when he's not even sure what he's up against.

Whatever they're really doing it's changing Kiba. He's all the time smiling nowadays daydreaming, lying- if studying isn't really what the two are doing, and he's also not home as much to hang out with him. Hige's, well, pretty much the same- maybe a bit more smug in confidence but basically the same. But Kiba was waking up earlier than an hour before school to bathe and brush his hair, he still has breakfast with everyone at the table but he brushes his teeth instead of just waiting around by the front door to be taken to school. He and his brother love having the taste of Cookie Crisp left on their breath in the morning, they'd even laughed about it on the way to school a few weeks back when Toboe burped and was reminded of the cereal he'd had for breakfast. Any kind of cereal was good, but they agreed Cookie Crisp was number one.

Toboe couldn't understand the need to be so clean. Kiba even bathed when he got home from seeing Hige! His brother used to like having dirt on himself, as long as it wasn't messing up the house, tracking footprints and whatnot. Kiba, for all his changes, would never upset the Lebowski's. He thought he'd see his brother more when his work hours dwindled but it's Hige who's reaping the benefits of it, not him.

Toboe drank some milk while looking over his homework, a few drops of water slid from the glass and onto the paper. He watched the led of the ink on the paper expanding into a blob before he dabbed it with a napkin to prevent completely ruining his work. It seems like every time he thinks about his brother lately it's a messy business.

At the Moon home.

Kiba whispered in a breath, "We really should get back to our homework, Hige," Kiba arched his back into his boyfriend's touch seeking more of it all over and anywhere.

The Wolf teen could never get enough! All the boys at school and- though, shyly and coyly- some of the girls were always chatting animatedly about who they were seeing and what they were going to be doing when they get together over the weekend and Friday evenings like movies or bowling and such. It was all whimsical nonsense to Kiba, but experiencing it for himself he can see that he's really been wrong. He almost wanted to apologize to his fellow classmates for thinking them all looney and a little touched for being relationship-crazed; they, of course, know nothing about Kiba's negative thoughts but he felt guilt over the ill-informed scrutiny he'd passed out regardless.

 _'I'm definitely a hypocrite_ , _'_ he thought proudly as his legs clamped around Hige's hips to assist himself in rolling them into his boyfriend's grind. The thirteen-year-olds were becoming professionals at 'getting off'.

Kiba never gave a single thought to his sexual preferences, being someone who preferred no sex or not even sexual thoughts period due to a driven attitude to get his family home under his personal ownership, and now that that goal has been realized, his newest goal is to occupy it. That, unfortunately, isn't going to happen until he's of age since he's much too young. But, lately, he's got distractions and he can allow them because there isn't much to waiting except waiting, so why not be distracted from it?

Distractions like _how_ he can be alone with Hige? What they would do specifically once they alone. And more importantly, when would they be able to do it again since it's over? His solid standing became very muddy in Hige's new company. It was fantastic and alarming. Kiba wondered, only briefly, if he would be feeling the same way towards a girl had she approached him as boldly as Hige did? He never supposed the chance would come up because he's happy. He's happy in a way that he didn't even know he needed to be. He'd felt swamped with school, work, and balancing the new adjustments in his life, but he never felt that he wasn't happy. It's nothing like that. He supposed it was a 'battered' contentment. But to be happy... It's _Incredible_.

He's got a roof over his head, lov,e and protection from his guardians, and a best friend he's wild about even before the new additions, there has always been Hige. Since that day he was there for him when he'd called during his parent's funeral. He was content and alive. And, best of all, he's got Toboe. His little brother took the worst of the fire and somehow he lived. Kiba was told dozens of times to go play with the other kids, or go outside and enjoy life until Toboe is released from the hospital, but as young as he was he could listen between the lines and understood that when adults are trying to distract you, something larger than one can handle is going on.

So it was not even an option to go outside and play while his little brother was lying in a hospital ward in limbo of life or death. He needed to be by Toboe's side. Let's say he'd gone out and played or stayed at the Lebowski's house waiting for Toboe, and his little brother's recovery went sideways. Then what? Kiba would be in bad shape and likely stay that way, having no room for any joy in his life, no matter how bright and charming the star is.

Kiba's blue eyes gazed into the bright orangish-brown glow of Hige's, and he gave his star an appreciative kiss that was long and slow and thankful. He silently, physically thanked Hige for being bold enough to approach this situation, he wanted to thank him for being his friend when everyone offered him sympathy and condolences and pitying looks, and he wanted to thank Hige for knowing when to let it go.

If Hige knew about the fire he would look at him just like the rest of his classmates had. It was strange the way people's situations affect others, his classmates have gone from pitying glances, to looks asking 'What's with him?', to downright disdain whenever he's upset and wants to be left alone. As if they were wondering how long the downtrodden would hold on to his loss. Was there a time limit for grief? If there was he's late to the game because he's still hurting inside. And when one sadness leaves another immerges. The main one now being that he realizes he's going to know life without his family as a whole longer than he has with them together. It's even worse for Toboe. The younger boy can't even remember what they look like!

But listen to the students' murmurs now? About how Kiba's happy, and that he's cool because he's even been seen sweeping up around the local flower shop. What thirteen-year-old has a job?! Kiba was becoming quite the hot topic and in a good way. And he owed it all to his shining star Hige. From the first day, the mixed boy spoke to him in class to his birthday just a month ago, he's been nothing but a delight to be around. They have fights, but they always burn out quickly because Kiba knows that Hige's in the right to wonder and ask questions about him and his past. But Kiba's not ready for the end result. He wants things to remain as good as they are- even if sometimes it created fights. It was unfair, he supposed, to dump his need for joy and stability on the Moon teen without his knowing it but what else could be done when it just sort of happened that way?

"Can we take our clothes off?" Hige asked he felt himself growing nearer to the end. He liked skin-on-skin at that point, and it helped keep the mess from their clothes.

"Yeah," breathed Kiba already working on removing their jeans.

He liked the naked part too. But he never removed his long sleeve shirt, it would expose the putrid burn on his arm. The constant reminder that he cause his family to be broken. But down below was fine. They could never be that way from start to finish, they found that it was a little too delightful and would lead them to a much more serious road that neither way ready for mentally, but their bodies hungered for constantly- if movement was anything to go by. Kiba would part his legs and Hige would lie down between them aiming for unauthorized access.

So, it was better to get to a point where a single touch would conclude their rendezvous than to build it up and mess up what's working and leaving nothing wrong. They took Sex Ed. in school with all the forewarnings and such, they know to be mindful and always take care. Four minutes later they took turns going in to the bathroom to clean up the evidence and after they dressed the pair returned to doing their homework which they finished in six minutes. It was just a couple sheets of math and a history paper. No big deal.

Kiba came home from the Moon house with a smile on his face. He was beyond content and ready to get ready for tomorrow's activities. He greeted his guardians when passing by the entrance to the living room, told them that his homework was done, and if he could have a snack and watch television for a little while, at which they said 'yes'. Toboe joined him along with Cheza, but none of them spoke as they feasted on Teddy Grahams with a glass of milk. It would have been awkward had Kiba known he was being scrutinized by his little brother, but to him, it was just companionable silence.

And two hours later they all gathered in the kitchen for dinner.

The atmosphere at the Lewboski home was quiet- at least between the children. Hubb was trying his best to get them to converse, though, he wasn't entirely sure what the problem was or even if there was one. He asked them about how school was going, what their plans were for the weekend, typical conversation starters but he got few answers longer than a sentence or a word. It was certainly a change from the beginning when the kids would chatter through every meal and laugh about jokes they wanted to share.

It was time to stop being discreet. "Are you two fighting?" He asked point blank.

"No." Replied the Wolf children in unison.

Now he really was at a loss, because if they aren't fighting than what's with this thick air?

"Why so quiet? Are you sick?" He pressed the situation.

"No." Again they replied in unison.

Hubb looked at his wife and shrugged, she raised her brows as to say she didn't have a clue either. So she focused her attention on Cheza. The little girl talked about her afternoon with Toboe, and that she got an invitation to a birthday party. And while she spoke, her parents kept an eye on the other two children as if they'd catch sight of a shifty eye or a secret violent touch. But no such actions took place. They finished dinner and cleaned up then the family retired to their bedrooms.

Toboe watched Kiba's still figure on his bed through the darkness in the room. He can't tell if Kiba's asleep or just lying in bed waiting for sleep. With a frown, he sucked in a breath and spoke. "I think you see too much of Hige,"

"What?" Kiba turned his head.

"Hige, you're spending too much time with his him, and as your legal... um..." This is so much easier for adults or older guys talking to younger ones. He's never ordered his brother to do anything, nor has he ever wanted to. But things are just not comfortable with him. "Just... stop spending so much time with him, okay!"

He burst into tears then. He hated having arguments with Kiba, even if they are one-sided. Kiba's not being mean to him, just evasive and that shouldn't be causing him so much discontent but it is. What happened to the good old days when it was the three of them and sometimes Cheza? The girl is his best friend, but she's a girl after all. He wants to do manly things with his brother and his older friend Hige. But how can he do that if he's been moved outside of the situation?

"Why?"

"We don't do anything together anymore, it isn't fair," His voice lowered just in case their guardians were listening in. "I like you guys, have you stopped liking me?"

"No, Toboe, of course not... We're just going in different directions right now. I've never hung out with Hige alone before and it's kind of fun. If it helps, you can hang out alone with him some time." That wasn't what he meant to say, but it gave Toboe pause in his fit of anger.

"What would we do?"

"Whatever you decide to do, I'll have no part in it, then you can hang out alone with me... How 'bout that?"

Toboe's joy was so bright of a beam the moon's glow became a little self-conscious. Would Kiba really do that for him?! The younger Wolf boy slept like a baby that night, he couldn't wait to hang out with Hige. He had all sorts of ideas for things to do.

The next day Kiba woke up early and took his cell phone into the kitchen where Toboe wouldn't hear him. He didn't think the Moon teen would be awake but the phone was answered after six ring tones.

"Hwwaaaaaammm hmmm?" He yawned into a question. It wasn't like Kiba to call him this early unless there was a storm going on. Kiba hates storms and often needs to be talked down from a mood so he can get back to sleep, and sometmes he doesn't want to sleep again at all, he just wants to talk until its over and it's time to go to school.

"It's Kiba, Hige I have to ask you for a huge favor," Kiba said in a tiny voice. He knew what the answer would be, after the explosion, of course.

"This must be some favor if you're asking at five a.m.," He was sounding more alert by the minute so he shouldn't be too bent up about it. "Lay it on me,"

"Toboe's feeling kind of neglected and,"

Cutting Kiba off, he said in a kindly voice. "So you wanna hang out with your brother today, that's cool. I'm not co-dependent or anything, I'll just... I don't know, go play ball at the park."

"It's not me he wants to hang out with,"

Hige paused then asked. "It can't be me? Is _that_ the favor you wanted to ask- that I occupy the runt because he's feeling left out?" Hige scoffed. "Kib'? Really? What would we even do together? I've never had a sibling before, what if I mess him up?"

"How is a sibling any different than having a friend? Aside from the fact that one goes home after the fun runs out."

"Well, when you put it that way," Hige still sounded uninterested. It sounded more like babysitting than hanging out. Toboe can't even run his own bath water! He's stayed over at the Lebowski's for a sleep over from time to time and every time he has the boy would be waiting around for his bath water to fill before he bathes. How old was Toboe again? Ten. "What do you even do with a ten-year-old?"

"Anything we'd do before we added to it," Kiba explained. "He won't have a long list, and before you know it he'll come home," He shrugged his hand. "Toboe's not a bad kid, you know that,"

"I _do_ know that, but it doesn't mean I'm not gonna be counting the minutes until he bores of me,"

Grinning, Kiba asked for confirmation. "So you'll do it? Just for today,"

"Oh, just for today, then, yeah, I'm in. Tell him to come on over," Hige's voice is echoing from closing himself into the bathroom. He left his bedroom for the bathroom half way through the conversation to relieve himself.

"Thanks, Hige, I'll make it up to you."

"Now I should thank you," He chuckled. Shouldering his phone against his ear, he washed his hands then left the bathroom. "I'll call you after, bye."

"Bye." Hanging up, Kiba sighed. What in the world was _he_ going to do all day?


	8. What are we fighting for?

Toboe was over the moon! How his brother managed to get Hige to actually spend the day with him he doesn't know, but it happened and now he's ambling merrily beside the older boy towards the movie theater to play video games and eat junk food before they watch My Imaginary Dinosaur. The movie came out last week and has been getting rave reviews that it was funny and good for the whole family.

To Hige good for the whole family meant good for all mush brains who actually like sitting through poorly scripted playground talk. He's fourteen years old and doing below the belt activities with his boyfriend, he doesn't have time for nine years old company. But, first Kiba he'd do just about anything, including helping in easing his kid brother's worries and abandonment issues. Plus…

' _Maybe Toboe can tell me why Kiba's so insecure about showing me his arm_.' Thought the sneaky teen.

"What snacks are you gonna get, Hige?" Toboe ogled the concessions stand as they passed through to the arcade. "Mrs. Cher doesn't like me to have too many treats, but she said that I could save them for later on,"

Hige scoffed. "How much do you plan on taking me for?"

Embarrassed, Toboe scratched shyly at had back of his head. "Sorry. I just haven't been to the movies in a while,"

Hige blinked hearing that. "Didn't you see The Jungle Book with Cheza just last weekend?" He fished into his pocket for a five dollars bill that he turned into quarters at the change machine.

"Hige, it's different when you're with the guys," The boy explained, dejected look on his face and uncertain tone in his voice. He was beginning to wonder if the older boy really wanted to be here with him, or if this was just a favor to his brother.

"No argument there," snorted the Moon teen. "It's like when I hang out with Senji and Makoto, they're nothing like hanging out with Kiba,"

Toboe smiled mischievously, Hige wasn't the only one looking to extract information. Toboe wanted to get his too, because no mouth speaks the truth better than the one that's not related to you. He studied the older boy's profile for a moment but was startled from his intimidation game by Hige thrusting a handful of quarters into his hands.

"What should we play first?" Asked the Moon teen, his red gaze scanned the semi crowded room for eligible machines.

"I don't mind, whatever you like," Toboe watched Hige to sense where the older boy might go.

"Ooh, the Dead Battle game is free, let's play that!" Hige hurried over before the other gamers could notice and swipe it from them.

He grabbed a plastic gun modeled after a shoulder shooter TMP handing the other over to the younger boy. This was already the best day of the boy's life just by hanging out with Hige, but to get to play violent video games… Score! He hoped he looked cool and continually shot glances at Hige to ensure that he's doing it right. Gun resting on his shoulder and left eye winked he squeezed the trigger but his gun didn't shoot.

"Huh?" Looking at his weapon he found that his finger wasn't on the trigger but just behind it. "Oh," Fixing his grasp he then readjusted then began firing off virtual rounds at the screen.

Hige was amazing and he wasn't too bad off either, it's easy to shoot without recoil so his aim was sure each time… almost. The boys played for ten minutes racking up the points and chatting like brothers in arms on the battlefield of zombie apocalypse.

"Are you ever mysterious, what's with the dead aim, runt?" Hige set the gun down in its holster attached to the machine. "Got some hidden aggressions you need worked out?" The older boy patted Toboe's gut, snickering at the thought of child rage. Toboe's the nicest kid on the planet, what could he have hidden grievances about?

"Thanks," he beamed; he got a little caught in the controller cord but set it down in the holster as Hige had. "I hope no one beats our score while we're watching the movie,"

"I doubt it, we slaughtered the old record," pulling two quarters from his pocket he walked over to a fighting game.

The pair played and played hoping from game to game of all sorts of genres. Shooters, fighting, Tetris puzzle games and back to the zombie game. Hige kept an eye on his watch so they would not miss the movie and after a hour of gaming the two are accumulating snacks before walking into the screening room.

Both of them have questions on their lips but had no idea when or even how they should bring it up. Hige was having an especially hard time with it, how do you ask somebody why there brother has body images and if he, the brother, has seen it? And Toboe was completely at a loss wondering if his brother and friend are lying to him because they're doing things that adults usually don't like for guys their age to do. He wasn't sure, at first, but commercials and television shows have made him believe that there was something more going on because like the people on TV whenever kids ask their parents about adult things the adults dodge the answer. Kiba and Hige dodge answers, and 'homework' is a pretty lame reason to want to be alone because he can work steadily and be quiet too. So there.

But rather than talk, the pair sat companionable in the comfortable cushy red seats, snacks of chocolate bars, gummy things, and popcorn scattered all over them and the arms of the chairs with a big Hawaiian punch tucked between their thighs while they resituated the items until the drinks rest on the arms of the chairs and the popcorn between their thighs and the candy and chocolate lined both upper thigh and chair arm.

Hige found the movie completely ridiculous but he couldn't ignore it, and had even laughed out loud to some of the jokes. He was waiting for the lame touching ending but it didn't turn out that way, it ended on a sad note because the imaginary dinosaur had vanished because the boy's mother died. He had been so blind playing and running around that he didn't notice his mother was slowly leaving him, all her wanting to hang out he put off to play with Bog the Dinosaur. It was a smack in the face for a kid's movie. Hige wondered why this would get such rave reviews but walking out of the theater he saw many children holding hands with their parents and not being as loud and bratty as they were when they had first gone in to see the film. Hige knew he would hug his mother when he gets home. Conformity comes from the strangest places.

Toboe walked beside Hige with his head down, quiet and thoughtful for a while, it wasn't until they hit the park that he started talking again. "Hige,"

Hige tossed a stick out into the open space before them then looked over at the younger boy. "Yeah?"

Resting his head between his hands, he sighed. "Never mind, but hey, while we're talking, what's going on between you and Kiba? I'm pretty sure I'm not buying the studying thing anymore,"

Hige laughed at the way the younger boy phrased it. So that's what all of this was really about, it's not just feeling left out but it's feeling lied to. He could understand that, his parents used to lie all over the place and it drove him up the wall.

Not sure if the silence was Hige's way of saying "pass" or if he was finding yet another way to skirt around it. "…Hige?"

' _What's the harm? Besides, he might answer my question in return_ …' Thought the older boy. "Are you sure you can handle it?" he was sure to ask this first, because he'd be pissed if the kid hauled off and cried or something. But the look on Toboe's face, you'd think the kid just hit the lottery twice in one week. "Your brother and I are seeing each other,"

Toboe's beaming smile deflated quickly and he cast his friend an annoyed look. Was he kidding with that? He wondered. Hige was worse than Kiba if that was his answer. "You're mean," he stated dryly.

Hige scoffed before defending himself. "I am not. You asked me and I told you, why am I mean? Is no one else allowed to date your brother, you're just gonna hog him?"

Toboe opened his mouth to say something when a record scratched in his brain causing him to double take over what he's heard. "Excuse me?"

Giving himself a slap to the forehead Hige sighed. "That's what people call it when they're dating 'seeing each other',"

Toboe stared off into space watching as all the pieces of the puzzle came together. He knew it had something to do with that, well, not in detail of sex and other adult behavior, but he knew it had something to do with how adults on television act when kids ask questions like: "Where do babies come from" or "where's dad" having to see this weird guy is exiting his or her parents' bedroom.

"So, you and Kiba are like a couple?" He tested the new situation out in his head with a thought of the two holding hands and giving the other goodbye kisses. "Like Mr. Hubb and Mrs. Cher?"

Knowing that the Lebowsky's are all the boy has to go on Hige nodded.

"So you and Kiba are seeing each other, like a couple who kisses and raises kids and stuff?" Toboe nodded to his filled in blanks.

Hige slapped his palm to his forehead. "Your ten-years old, what're they teaching you at that school?" Groaning at having to better explain the situation the older, exasperated teen gives it a shot. "Guys don't have kids together, unless they're adopted like the Lebowsky's took in you and your brother, but that doesn't have anything to do with anything. The point I'm making is that your brother and I love each other and sometimes we go places to show it or we kiss."

Toboe scrunched his nose up at the idea of that, but what Hige was saying was a lot more clear. "I can understand now, you want to have dates and for that you need privacy. The Lebowsky's have date nights, that's when Kiba watches me and Cheza,"

Bright eyed Hige nodded. _"Exactly!_ It's nothing personal, just a love thing."

Toboe was glad for that. He doesn't get relationship behavior but he does know what it is and that people like to do it a certain way. "I'm glad you guys don't hate me or anything,"

Hige popped Toboe's shoulder in good-nature. "Don't be so dramatic, runt. Me and Kiba are something alone but together, but we're both a something together with you, but we choose not to hide that. Which do you think is better?"

Toboe didn't even have to think about it as he answered. "All of us, of course,"

"Right, now, no more of this feeling left out nonsense- even when we ask to be alone,"

Giving Hige a thumbs up, Toboe looked vacant lyrics out into the vast field of the park. Hige gave the boy a long look then asked.

 _"Now_ what is it?"

Toboe looked at Hige with sad eyes but then he seemed to perk up. Shaking his head he replied cheerfully. "It's nothing, I was just thinking about the movie."

Hige blinked hearing that as he hadn't expected it. The kid sure could be weird. 'Oh, right!' He'd almost forgotten about what he wanted to ask. "Say Toboe, maybe you could help me with something that I've been curious about…"

The younger boy blinked, confused at what he a younger boy could possibly know over Hige. "Okay,"

"Why does your brother..." Hige scoffed words froze in his throat. How the heck could he ask a kid about his brother's bare flesh when he barely understands relationships? Wondered the Moon boy. "Aren't you hot, you're always so covered up?" He redirected.

Toboe cast his friend a long uncertain look but answered without much thought behind the sudden change of subject. "No. The shirts I wear breathe pretty good, that's what Mrs. Cher said when she'd bought me the shirts,"

Hige could understand that. "But why wear them at all when it's summertime?"

Toboe stood up from the bench snickering. "It's kind of embarrassing but Kiba and me have really ugly birthmarks."

 _'Birthmarks?'_ he nodded. It made sense now. He's got aunts who are embarrassed about beauty moles. It wasn't a big deal, but if it bothered Kiba that much, he wouldn't bring it up anymore.

Toboe walked into the Lebowsky's home with a small smile on his face. He knows now what's so special between his brother and Hige. What he doesn't understand is why Kiba's would keep it a secret from him? Is he ashamed? Or maybe he thought it'd be no fun if he, Toboe, knew. There's also a chance that Kiba's playing up to the age card and would have eventually told him the truth of the matter. There was too much head scratching to pick one, so Toboe just kept the secret telling his brother that he and Hige had a good time, and he'd like to do it more than once a year.

"Hige said he had a good time too," Kiba told his little brother once he was in bed for night.

After his shower he called Hige and talked while the younger boy did a puzzle with Cheza in the living room. The Moon boy told him just about the same thing that they had a good time, broken a record on a video game, he was engaged in the movie when he thought he'd be spending it trying to be noisy with his snacking to avoid paying attention. Then they went to the park. Hige also informed Kiba that something seemed to be bothering Toboe, that it seemed more like brother stuff than friend and he should talk to him.

So he lay in bed waiting for his brother to come to their room for the night so they could talk.

"Toboe, are you ok?" He wasn't sure how to bring up the conversation when he doesn't know what the topic is about.

"Hmm? Me?" He chuckled. "Duh, of course it's _me,_ umm…" The younger boy rolled over onto his side staring at the darkened window. The curtains are drawn close, no ghostly glow from the moon was getting in. Nothing to see in the dark and nothing to reveal itself. "You know that movie Hige and I saw?" Kiba hummed a response of "yeah". "Well, it had me thinking about moving and dad, and what happened to them…"

Kiba's blue orbs widened in horror, he hoped this day would never come but here it presented itself like the dark thing looming in the corner of the room has finally decided to make its move. "…You're asking what happened to them?"

"I think I am, but then I realize that I'm too afraid to know… I don't wanna be sad that they're gone in some horrible way because I…" he trailed off.

"What?"

"I don't even remember them, not even a little bit… when I think about their faces I only see Mr. Hubb and Mrs. Cher, and when I don't see them I see _you,"_ he sniffled.

He felt even worse than the kid in the movie when he realized that he missed his mother's last days because he was self centered. Toboe wondered if the boy was running from his mother's illness that was up until the end, that look of confused shock on his face when his father told him that his mother was gone. Toboe felt like running. Running and never stopping.

"Kiba… don't let them go if you know them, one of us has to remember them," he began crying.

Kiba slipped out of his bed and into Toboe's, wrapping his arms around him he rest his cheek against the top of his brother's tucked head.

"I didn't mean to forget them and I'm sorry that I'm too afraid to remember them. What am I gonna do?" He sobbed and sniffled until he drained himself dry and fell asleep.

Kiba had wanted to go to the jump place tomorrow with his brother but he knew they needed to make a stop somewhere else first. He's sort if been sneaking over there as his own little fortress of solitude, perhaps it was wrong if him not sharing. He doesn't want Toboe miserable like he's a bad son. And it would be terrible to forget their parents. That horrible night could stay buried but the people, their lovely family. That needs to stay as a whole for the both of them.

The next day Toboe seemed to be feeling better, he wasn't talking during breakfast but it wasn't in a miserable silence kind of way, he was just quiet. There was nothing wrong with that. Hubb talked about a picnic next weekend and they all agreed to going and it sounded nice, it's been a while outside of meals and holidays that they've done anything as a family.

Family seemed to be a running theme this week because Kiba couldn't wait to show Toboe the past he's been missing. Not all of it just the good parts, starting with their old home and the licked room beyond.

"Has the house always been this small?" wondered the younger boy, his noisy path thumped his trail through the empty house. "I must have really been small," Toboe voice was light and his smile ear to ear as the memories crept up on him slowly like water tracing it's way through a cracked trail until it could spill over. He'd gotten the bedrooms wrong, but gradually it snapped into place. He even remembered chipping his tooth on the bathroom sink when getting was messing around while on the toilet.

Kiba watched his brother roaming and remembering and he smiled. He hoped it would be met with joy instead of the sorrow Toboe had had last night.

"Toboe," he waved his brother to the center if the hall where an unexplored bedroom waited for him. "I wanna show you mom and dad's room."

Toboe looked interested but afraid and he slowly walked over to his brother and the intimidating door. How would they feel about him going into their room? Would they be angry that their son who no longer knows them is going to enter their personal space? Swallowing hard he then asked. "Are you sure they won't mind?"

"They would insist,"

Toboe doesn't have to know that the private place was actually a manufactured replica since another family had lived here and replaced their parents existence with their own. But even for a do-over the feel was there. And it contented Kiba so for Toboe it may do the same. Having wanted his brother to forget the accident had a pronged effect because where he'd forgotten the fire the people went along with it, and that wasn't his intention. Although, he questioned that often when he'd called Hige to talk about them instead of remembering them with Toboe who is aware that their parents are dead despite not knowing the gory details. Well, no more. If Toboe is okay with talking about them they can talk.

The room was cooler than the others and the smells were intoxicating to the younger Wolf's memories. He could see his mother putting on lotion for the day and smelling it before calling him over and rubbing some into his hands or on his chubby cheeks. And how his dad would place a finger to his lips asking that he stay quiet on mornings when he'd sneak into their bedroom then he'd scoop him up and, still dressed in pajamas, they'd sneak out of the house and get biscuit sandwiches from McDonald's to eat in the car while they watch the sun rise over Freeze City.

And though the memories made him happy Toboe fell to his knees, throat raw, in a mixture of crying and screaming. Kiba never brought his brother back home. And Toboe never asked to go.

0 0 0

"The runt knows were together," Hige admitted one afternoon while they're riding their bikes around the area until lunc.

Kiba cast his boyfriend a threatening look. "Do you _want_ a fist in the mouth? That isn't funny,"

Hige shrugged his hands, grabbing the handle bars that wobbled in his absence. "I'm serious, he knows but he's fine with it," he straightened out the front of the bike.

Kiba blinked very much doubting that. "And he told you this?" Hige tends to have a weird sense of humor, like… saying it would be easier for Kiba just to poke a hole in his pants so they can try this and that without getting caught or who would he choose if the Lebowsky's divorced, Toboe knows were being sexual- just nonsense.

"Weeeelll, I sort of told him," he jumped when Kiba barked at him with a rather loudly asked: "You what?" but he was sure to douse the flames of the Hell Hound by adding. "You're not giving him enough credit, Kib', he knows what dating is because of the Lebowsky's. It's not like I told him that we're being all graphic about it."

"He's _ten,_ Hige,"

Shaking his head he replied. "Yyyeah, I'm not seeing the problem,"

"He doesn't need to be thinking about things like that,"

With a sly expression on his face Hige teased. "Why? Do you think he'll try it out on Cheza?"

"Yes! Hige, you don't know my little brother,"

Hige scoffed, furrowing his brows. "Hubb and Cher are definitely gonna get a divorce if a ten-year-old doesn't know about dating,"

"I just don't want Toboe filling in the blanks with us and asking a bunch of weird questions that I don't wanna answer."

"He didn't seem interested once he got his answers he kind of gave it an 'oh, what's the big deal' brush off. He thinks we wanna go see movies and ride bikes but in a just the two of us kind of way- which we do… There's no shame in it just because we're both guys…" Seeing that Kiba stopped riding he circled back and stopped beside him. "Toboe only wanted a better reason for why we wanted to be alone and he was happy for the truth, it's better that he feels comfortable coming to us, right? We little guys gotta stick together in this adult world."

Kiba was listening as he cooled off his nerves, recovering before he said something cruel he nodded. "You're right, but Hige, you let me worry about how Toboe grows up," looking at his boyfriend with a bit of annoyance he said very matter-of-factly. "He's not your little brother, so stay out of it," His feet returned to the pedals and he started for home.

Hige looked after him for a moment before following.

X x X

Commentary: I'm so happy they're reselling Wolf'so Rain, I can't wait to buy it and see it all again and just bask in that mixture of happy despair it gives. Sorry if there's mistakes my laptop died and this is auto-fill tablet work, so I'll go back and fix ithe if I missed it.


	9. A Better Me Because of You

Kiba turned the key in the lock then opened his home to a stranger, well, not a _stranger_ to himself but a stranger to his home. Hige was wide-eyed and casting them everywhere as he looked around the small but spacious Wolf home.

He was so relieved when Kiba spoke to him at school two days later. He thought he'd blown it big time by infringing on his position with Toboe. But he had no idea the boy's upbringing was a sensitive subject or situation. Guys their age are always clueing in little kids where adults won't. But Kiba seemed pretty serious, and as for not talking to him for two days, that was sort of Hige's bad because he wasn't sure if Kiba was mad or not and he didn't want to further the anger. But then Kiba tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to meet him after school because he wanted to show him something. This was not the something he thought it would be. An animal, a dead something or another, he hoped against likeliness that it'd be his mutant birthmark, but a house? Oddities never cease.

"You're saying you bought this house?" Hige looked into the opening that led to the kitchen and another opened door that showed off a bathroom. "The flower and cashier business must be incredible," he gaped at the fully furnished living room ahead of him and furnished kitchen beside him. "maybe I should get a part-time job, too?"

"Maybe you should, but I didn't buy the house fresh," Kiba breezed through the home like a seasoned professional into the kitchen to the cupboards for a snack. "Do you want anything to eat?"

Hige took the question with a muted disparity. "How long have you known me?" Walking into the kitchen after leaving his bag by Kiba's at the front door, the Moon teen looked over the selection being offered. "Awesome, Moon Pies, it's like it knows me." He grabbed a cake made of graham crackers stuffed with marshmallow that's covered in a rich milk chocolate. A real delight in his eyes. "Do you have milk?"

"Yeah,"

"So I'm confused, you say you didn't buy the house fresh then how come you have the house?"

"I used to live here before…" Turning from the cabinets he went to the refrigerator. "You said milk, right?" Opening the fridge he grabbed the pint of whole milk then located a glass to pour it in, swiftly choosing to pass on the conversation for the moment.

"Thanks. But, Kiba, the house…?" He takes the glass then sips the rich content in it.

"It's sort of like a family heirloom." Kiba shrugged nonchalantly before passing by Hige into the living room to the couch.

He set down his glass of milk then searched for his bag which he left by the front door; eating his moon pie as he traveled the hall to the front door he grabbed his bag, stuck the snack in his mouth holding it there to grab Hige's bag as well. When he returned to the living room he found Hige surfing channels- or trying to.

Taking a seat beside his boyfriend, he quickly informed him. "There's no cable, they're coming tomorrow."

"You're getting cable hooked up too?" Hige licked the chocolate and graham cracker crumbs from the corner of his mouth. "You're really moving in here?"

"It was my goal since I'd started working at the flower shop," he sipped his milk then set the glass down to rummage through his bag. "I asked Mrs. Cher for help keeping the house under the Wolf name, and after I started part-timing at the supermarket I can finally afford to pay the bills on my own. Utilities is my only expense aside from feeding myself."

Hige cocked his head then leaned away from Kiba to really take him in. "...You're incredible, are you really fourteen or do you have that weird disease that keeps an adult looking exactly like a child?"

Kiba laughed at that while shaking his head. "My mom and dad have died and… I just didn't want Toboe growing up in a different place, it seems ridiculous but… my family means something to me. We're really the only two left, no grandparents, parents who were the only child in their family, and now… it's just down to Toboe and me." He cast his blue gaze down at his lap, the cool blue seemed to dull with his mood because the richness was almost cloudy, and misty with tears of rain. "Living here means something to me, I can't lose everything, not when I have a choice."

Hige reached over and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, the only example of maturity he has in comparison to this Wolf who is mature-beyond-his-years. Losing one's parents does that to a person. Nevermind the grandparents or aunt and uncle, cousin or even kindly neighbor who takes you in. You'll always feel a certain need to stand up and be counted when life is trying to count you out. Feeling a bit of moisture hit his shoulder he leaned out of his offered comfort to look at Kiba in his misty eyes.

"Hn. All that for one frightened tear? Phew!" He chuckled softly. "I was getting worried you'd been downgraded because of me, but your resolve must still be there if you're only able to get out one tear."

Smiling, Kiba shook his head. "No. You can baby me all you want, but you're not going to influence me to back down,"

"Well, good. I'd like to think my being wrong about everything was a part of your drive to be better."

Kiba shoved Hige and laughed. "You're such a ham, big head,"

"You love my big head," pecking Kiba on the lips he returned to his snack finishing the milk before eating the rest of the snack cake. "I'm gonna get another, start the science and I'll steal the answers from you,"

"Okay,"

Hige walked into the kitchen and slowed to a standstill, placing his hands on the countertop he let out a heavy sigh for Kiba, and his self. He had no idea how deep the troubles ran through his boyfriend. How much weight he carries on his shoulders, and now having to care for his little brother in a home all alone. It's a huge undertaking. How can he be strength for Kiba for something like this? How can he know what to do when every a time arises that something needs to be done?

He yanked his hands through his ginger brown hair and sighed once again. He's fourteen years old. A child that actually likes being taken care of in some ways. The part of him that wants mature independence is all genital driven. And here's Kiba taking it all on. He's either gonna have to man up… or lose the one person in life he's come to care about outside of his family. They'll grow apart because of the emotional age gap, he just can't lose Kiba.

"I'm on the second sheet, slowpoke," Kiba called from the living room. "what are you doing in there, making homemade cakes?"

"Just browsing," Hige snagged a bag of zebra striped cookies then walked them into the living room. "I decided I wanted a cookie instead,"

"Oh." He passed his worksheet over to him. "I wrote the work down, you'll have to answer for yourself."

"I know," setting down the cookies he picked up his pencil and got to working on his homework all the while stealing glances at his boyfriend's content expression. "Kiba?"

"Hmm?"

"...You love me, right?"

"I… Sure, I love you. I've told you before," looking Hige in the eye he wondered if this was leading somewhere. It seemed an odd way to start a conversation.

"So, hypothetically speaking, what would make us break up?"

Kiba blinked then really seemed to be considering the question. "It's hard to say, you can be really pushy, needy, and sometimes a little mean… but, everything exhausting about you I sometimes find kind of endearing." He smiled handsomely.

Scratching his cheek he grinned cheekily and said. "You make me sound like a tolerable mess, thanks a lot."

"Is something bothering you, you've been acting weird since we got here?" Kiba tucked his science away then grabbed his language arts book.

"Me? Weird?" He scratched the back of his head and laughed. "No. I'm just taking it all in that you've got this cool place to call home. No older people around keeping us innocent, y'know?"

Kiba blinked wondering how much the statement was truth or if it was a cooked up lie to cover up whatever is going on with Hige, but with his boyfriend he seldem joked about their relationship activities when it came to the flesh. Smiling, Kiba nodded.

"I guess it is cool," Looking over his shoulder at the stairs he says with a deal of pride. "I'll give you the grand tour once we're done with our homework."

"Great! I'd love to see where my little Kiba once slept, I'll bet you have a theme bed with dinosaurs or something."

"Ha, you wish. That's more your forte, Hige." Tapping his pencil to the notebook to reign the conversation in, he returned to working on the assignments.

Hige watched Kiba for a brief moment out of the corner of his eye before he rolled back his sleeves and got down to his own work. They worked in companionable silence, snacking and wondering problems out loud offering help to the confused. And roughly 20 minutes later they were packing up their bags with their finished assignments.

"Show me everything," Hige stood from his seat.

Feeling shy all of the sudden Kiba slowly got up from the couch, spreading his arm out he said. "Let's start in the kitchen,"

Kiba bolted before his boyfriend could inform him that he's already quite familiar with the kitchen, having taken a few breaks to grab a refill of milk or to throw out snack wrappers, or paper plates that at one point held a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But that's nerves for you. One minute you're a big shot then you're pointing out dendrochronology of a wooden kitchen table to waste time. After all, this'll be the first time he's had his boyfriend in his room.

0 0 0

Hige admired the staircase, as Kiba pointed out that he should. He looked at the small selection of photos lining the wall on the way up. The Moon teen couldn't keep his smile down seeing his boyfriend at the tender age of just having met him and a couple from before his meeting him. The Family. Hige's never seen Mr. and Mrs. Wolf, but his attention couldn't linger because Kiba grabbed him by the wrist and hurried him into the hall to show off the bedrooms.

"This is the guest bedroom, you'll be sleeping in their and Cheza too, if she stays over." He stood before the open door of a comfortable spare bedroom.

Hige peeked his head into the entrance analyzing the space as a modern contemporary bedroom. It's got a pale blue color scheme with white and dark blue accents. There's a dark blue shag throw-rug taking up space beneath the bed spanning out enough to leave sixteen inches from the wall from the center of the bedroom. The woodwork for the bed and dresser and shelves is white, it's hard to tell if it's a natural wood color or if it's been painted. But it didn't matter because it was very eye-catching.

Moving down the hall when Kiba moved he looked at a closed door that was breezed past without introduction. And from their, Kiba extends his arm out to the right. "And this is Toboe's bedroom,"

Hige looked at how plain the bedroom was decorated and wondered if the boy had any sort of personality. He's never seen a kid's room without a Mighty Morphin something or another or a kid's cartoon character. There wasn't even a Spongebob pillow or poster.

Kiba seemed to sense his boyfriend's thoughts because he shrugged and said. "Toboe wasn't so old before we moved into the Lebowski house."

Hige could feel the atmosphere but was quick to act on the situation. "Lucky him, he gets to spend some time decorating," he snickered. "I'll betcha anything he'll keep asking you what you're doing to decorate then copy it- kids can be real copying machines."

"Tell me about it," Kiba brightened. "I used to sleep with the covers only up to my waist because I get hot, Toboe did the same, he had the sniffles for weeks because of that." He swayed his weight to the left and walked into the next bedroom. "And this... is my room," He bore a proud smile on his face.

Hige whistled. "Are those wolves?" He pointed down at the crown molding, there, placed just above that, is the silhouette of a plain with hills and along it was a pack of wolves in suspended animation of running. The black lining went around the entire lower half of the otherwise empty white walls.

"Yeah," Kiba was pleased that Hige liked it. "It's small but I really wanted it when I saw it at the store… My mom almost cried when she saw them herself."

"It's pretty cool," He looked at the lining on another wall where the wolves are howling at the moon and on the other wall they appear to be playing and the last, where the bed is placed the wolves are sleeping.

"Wolves love and respect the moon, Hige," Kiba walked over to his bed and sat down. "It's also kind of cool that Moon is your last name. Since I've met you, I've kind of felt like you were a good luck charm, you're _my_ moon. I may get pissed at you, but… I never really mean to be angry," embarrassed that he does at all Kiba lowered his gaze to the floor. "I just get to a place where I need some time to myself. I'm glad you don't take it personally."

"Why would I take it personally? I love you, buddy," He smiled and gave Kiba a cheeky thumbs up, as if he wasn't having small panic attacks during those two days when Kiba was giving him the silent treatment. Walking over to the bed he took a seat as well.

Hige looked at his boyfriend's somber profile and launched himself back onto the bed. He wasn't sure what to feel about being the Hercules of someone else's mood. It was a hefty weight for sure, but he could take it. For Kiba, he could take it. Reaching over to him he scratches his back to comfort him.

"It goes both ways, Kiba," Hige felt the need to inform the Wolf teen of this since he can't seem to get him to buck up sometimes. "I don't mind that you have mood swings, it's better you take them out on me than with your brother- kids, am I right?"

Kiba looked over his shoulder at Hige and cocked his head mulling over those words. "Yeah," he leaned back onto Hige's hand. Staring up at the ceiling he sighed. "I just don't wanna be a burden. We only just met and already I was calling you all the time because I was sad or needed to just be awake with someone. I'm selfish, I never once considered that I was keeping you up and that it might affect your school work or anything…"

"Believe me, I'm not one to sit quietly and be abused," Hige smiled. "If any of that had bothered me I'd tell you, kind of like how you laying on my arm is killing the circulation,"

Kiba snickered and raised his back from the bed so Hige could recover his crushed limb, and he lied back when it was gone. "If there's anything that's bothering you, just let me know and I'll be there for you for a change."

Hige's gaze went to the bandage on Kiba's arm before he locked eyes with him. "I'll keep that in mind."

The couple lay quietly on the bed for a good ten minutes, just thinking or staring into space. It was Hige who broke the silence when asking.

"How did you lose them?"

Kiba closed his blue eyes as if blocking out a physical sense would lessen the pain of the emotional sense. Darkening over his vision would drop a veil over the memory. "An accident." He left out that it was all his fault. That he should have done better but he couldn't. If only he hadn't lit that fire…

"I'm sorry. It's hard that my parents fight and get separated from time to time, but I can't imagine not having even one of them not around,"

Kiba opened his eyes realizing that that was the first time Hige's ever sincerely commented on his parent's divorce. He just assumed he was completely ok with it. Not that he was dealing with it because at least they are alive. Hige doesn't feel that in a rude way, he merely thinks that way. Its nothing personal or should be seen as an offense on his part. Kiba's glad Hige doesn't have to feel the pain of loss as he does. He really wants all the best for Hige. He loves him.

Turning onto his side Kiba cupped Hige's cheek to turning his head so that he's facing him, scooting over just a hair he kisses him, deep and full then pulls back with a satisfied smirk. He loved leaving that pleased look on his boyfriend's face. At least some of the things he does with Hige don't depress the Moon teen.

He laughed when Hige rolled over directly on top of him, kissing him playfully on the cheek, neck, and forehead. "Your bed is so nice and springy, Kiba," he bounced up and down over his boyfriend's lap. "What does this remind you of? The bounce house," Hige laughed. "It should,"

Squirming to get free, Kiba teased his amorous boyfriend. "What was so great about that?"

"What!"

"Your sausage fingered, cold hands groping at me," Kiba was laughing hysterically when his childhood pillow bopped him repeatedly in the face. He tried grabbing for it, missing it every time so he opted to retaliate by grabbed the other pillow bashing Hige on the side of the head with it.

Kiba had wondered how kissing turned into a pillow fight, but that was the joy of being with Hige you can never predict what's going to come. If you could Kiba would have seen it coming when their fatigued 'cease fire' left them breathlessly in a state of undressed, entangled in limbs and breaths. The cool room encased their heat creating little cracks of static as their movement caused friction between them and the bedding.

The Wolf teen didn't know how far it would go nor does he care, he just knew that when his legs parted around Hige's hips hooking closed at his ankles he was giving permission as well as the offering.

Hige whispered something against his lips, he was unsure but he nodded to the question happy to be enlightened that the question was what he'd assumed when fingers, slick with traces of bodily release, circled around his entrance. Kiba had to wonder if this was really going to happen? Was he really ready? No. There was no questioning it, he's been thinking about it for some time lately, not because he and Hige had been in many amorous situations, with his new part-time job at the local supermarket he hasn't had much time for extra activities once at home. It's because of this that Kiba's been thinking about Hige, and how little he's complained about missing him. He's been hanging out with friends from school or with Toboe. He respected Kiba's work, and that was important to him.

Last week he had twenty free minutes before bed, Hige called him up and asked if he had free time and they watched their favorite show together over the phone. The Moon teen had recorded it and held off on watching it just for Kiba even though the show had aired a week before and was currently on a new episode. But it was so comforting that Hige cared enough to find a way for them to spend time together that Kiba knew he loved him and wanted to love him in every way possible.

Two fingers worked together to spread Kiba inside; it wasn't lost on either of them that their would be nothing safeguarding this moment but neither seemed concerned. It wasn't a blind trust but a complete one. It will be fine. Everything would be fine. He latched on tightly around Hige's shoulder pulling him near as they kiss through the preparation, their lips caressed softly against the other's cheek when needing a breath and they whispered sweet words, names, or just a breath into each other's ear.

Kiba held his hips still unsure of how to respond to the sliding of the fingers trekking as far in as they could go and scissoring when they stopped. They moved together in a low-level audio until Hige's fingers slid free. He paused long enough to press his forehead to Kiba's as an assurance that he'd be careful. Kiba locked smiled at Hige and found his gaze going down to between their thighs as his boyfriend positioned himself.

Kiba's back arched from the bed every easy inch his boyfriend slid through. There was resistance and Hige pulled free completely in order to gather more manmade lubricant from Kiba's length but once he was satisfied he slowed back inside and waited there to move. Their chests were heavy and their breathing slow and long as they locked lips in a seemingly endless kiss.

Hige hadn't waited for a sayso, moving his hips flowed as naturally as this moment. Kissing his boyfriend sparked the movement and when it began it was a long slow buoying but Kiba's hums and little moans encouraged the pace to pick up enticing more and more until the cries elevated from the both of them. Echoing through the empty home were cries of passion and knocks of wood and just as suddenly as it happen and as loudly as it had grown it quieted down until one slowly faded along with the other…

0 0 0

Kiba took his bike over to the Lebowski home and picked up Toboe that evening. The two rode their bikes down the autumn nippy streets of Freeze city chattering about nothing of any particular topic. Kiba wasn't really listening while he wasn't exactly ignoring his little brother as he spoke animatedly about a game he and Cheza had made up. They were wizards searching for a crystal eye in a cavern. It was their entrusted quest. He seemed so happy that Kiba only smiled and nodded while his mind remained on earlier when he was with Hige.

He could see why adults would keep that sort of thing to themselves, it's addictive. The wrong people could get in trouble doing that sort of thing, namely heterosexuels. That wasn't to say his being gay left him in the clear because, according to Sex Ed. there are risks for any coupling. Not to mention the age factor. Kiba looked over at his little brother, so young and innocent. He couldn't imagine Toboe having sex. He'd probably die of a heart attack having to know. And who would Toboe be with? He imagined it'd be Cheza. The two are friends now, but it could become more. Look at him and Hige, they're friends and it grew into more.

"I've already got dinner waiting," he was saying, his mouth was on auto-pilot as he spoke. Toboe had said something to him and it sounded like disbelief that they were going home.

"You cooked?" The boy laughed; hopping from his bike he walked it into the garage letting it fall to its side rather than rest on the kickstand.

"Ordered in," Kiba, who used the kickstand for his bike, picked up Toboe's and set it upright. "Make sure you wash your hands,"

"Yes, mooom," Toboe laughed and bolted for the bathroom when Kiba chased after him. "Missed me!" He called out when he expertly ducked a swat to the back of his head. Closing the bathroom door, he stuck out his tongue laughing when Kiba gestured that he had eyes on him. "This is gonna be so cool."

Kiba walked away from the bathroom to wash his hands at the kitchen sink. He then grabbed two sets of napkins, paper plates, and plastic cups balancing them like a circus act plate spinner as he walked the stacks into the living room where a picnic of McDonald's hamburgers and french fries and soda is set up on the living room floor. He even has a movie picked out so their first day back home as a true family could be comfortable. He didn't want to eat at the Lebowski's and make a big scene of saying good bye. It wasn't goodbye, they'd see them again they're their guardians, after all. And he has two jobs so someone will have to watch Toboe while he's working and he's out of school. But for now, he has to try this on his own.

Toboe exited the bathroom and walked around the corner into the kitchen. "Kiba, where are you?"

"In the living room,"

Following the disembodied voice Toboe's expression went from thoughtful concern to elated. "Sweet, fastfood!" Mrs. Cher was a stickler about junk food, so eating like this was always a treat only had when the family was in a rush to go somewhere or do something and eating would only get in the way should cooking at home have to be involved.

The boy long since moved past the joys of Happy Meal toys and wanted the burgers his brother eats. So Toboe always gets a Mcdouble cheeseburger- which to the younger Wolf boy is similar since it's two patties- and a medium fries with Sprite. He'd get the Big Mac too but he doesn't like the sauce. They 'mmm' once a bite is in their mouth and their focus goes to the television when the video started.

"Toboe?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay with this?"

Toboe tapped his hamburger against the wrapper it came in which is now sitting on a paper plate. "I don't know, I mean, it's pretty cool in some ways but in others…" He shrugged. "I guess I'm worried."

"Worried?" Kiba set down the fry he'd just taken a bite of. "We can afford it, don't worry,"

"It's not affording it that I'm worried about," taking a bite from his burger to have a moment to put his words together he then went on when the bite was swallowed. "I just don't want you suffering anymore," he looked his brother dead in the eyes with a hard and pained expression residing in his own. "You have two jobs and you're lying that you're sixteen just to part-time in one… If it's because of me then you don't have to do this. ...I may not be able to take care of myself, but I won't be a further problem for you if I'm not here. I can't stay with Cheza's family, it's not a problem!"

It sure seemed like a problem with the way his eyes welled up with tears that fell the moment the younger Wolf lowered his gaze. He put his burger back down having lost his appetite at the moment.

Kiba blinked, confused then sad for a moment. "Toboe… I don't see you as a burden, there are going to be adjustments to living on our own but none of it is at the expense of either of our comfort or happiness. I don't mind having two jobs in order to live here, and I love taking care of you… You're my brother… We're all we have left of our family." Crawling over to the silently weeping child he wrapped his arms around him. "I know things haven't been easy for you with the trips back and forth to the hospital and I'm not saying that things aren't going to be a little rough sometimes, but it'll be bearable because we're together."

Gripping a handful of the shirt on his brother's back Toboe mumbled quietly. "Wouldn't it be easier if we just stayed with Cheza's family? I know all the major grafting to cover up my birthmark has been put off for a while, but if we're staying with the Lebowski's it'd be easier to manage."

Kiba doesn't disagree. His brother was burned far worse than he was and the cost of skin grafting is beyond even a four job households budget. But he doesn't care! Being here, living his life as a Wolf with his brother is what matters. The rest can be figured out as they go along.

"Everything is simple if it's easy, but you grow when it's complicated. And the rewards are that much better."

Toboe scoffed. "That's stupid," he wiped his hand under his nose then the other side over his eyes. "...Kiba… I'll work too, when I can!" He removed himself from the embrace and smiled. "I won't leave you hanging, I can even lie about my age too, like you do! I can pass for fifteen,"

Kiba didn't have the heart to tell his eleven year old brother to round down as he could actually pass for seven years old. "We'll address that when the time comes, for now, just focus on your grades. Don't worry about me, okay?"

"It's gonna be hard," he didn't lie, the frown returned to his lips. "But, I'll do my best, and my grades are gonna stay good too- if you can manage than so can I."

"Good… What do you mean 'if I can manage'?"

"Well, anyone dating a dork like Hige can't be too smart,"

"You little brat," he smacked the french fry from his brother's hand before scooting back to where he was originally sitting.

"Ha, and this is the guy passing for sixteen," Toboe teased.

Kiba smiled before resuming the eating of his dinner and watching of the movie. Toboe was just trying to cheer him up, he knows that. The younger boy adores Hige, especially now that he knows about the two of them. It wasn't such a bad thing that Hige told him, and it wasn't such a bad idea to change houses.

Kiba couldn't help but think that maybe things really will be alright for them all. Even if he has to add another number to his age, another job to his schedule or even another name to his face- as far out as that seems anything was possible in a world of survival and struggle. But he would do it for family. He would do it for love.

 _'If my family is solid and my love intact, I have help when I need it…'_ He smiled about all the people who've helped him over the years and the ones who continue to help him even when he doesn't ask for it. He's happy. ' _All these things will make everything alright, and if I can keep that foundation and continue to apply myself… what's it gonna hurt to have another me?'_

He didn't need another self to go on, though. Their lives together progressed, there were promotions at the supermarket and he was able to quit the flower shop and they still live comfortably. Toboe has grown into a fine mischievous teen in and out of no more usual trouble than any other teenager at fourteen. Though he could not get anymore surgeries done he said his "birthmarks" were fine as long as he kept them clean and away from products that irritated them. And he and Hige couldn't be closer if they were one person. Life was shaping up, not perfectly but as he'd said a couple years back when he and his brother first moved back into their home: 'Through pain comes growth'.

Kiba would sure need growth too, because he never expected what troubles would arise when his sweet little brother started noticing boys…

The End?

x x x

Commentary: This goes to Bella13blue for inspiring me to write it. You're a good fan of Kiba and Hige, and in the future I'm gonna do more. At least three. One in the Love Object genre, an AU and one show based, I got my DVDs joy! so I know I'll be mad inspired.

Thanks everyone for reading this short fic, I hope you've enjoyed it and my bad for any mistakes or weird parts but tablets suck for typing stories, but I'm doing my best and I'll fix it if it's mentioned to me or if I go back and see it. I'm gonna be fixing 'Italian Sushi' and a couple other stories while I've only got two new things to type. So if the alert says something's changed, it hasn't it's just marking editing- if that sort of thing goes on. I'm not sure. And have a nice weekend


End file.
